Anybody had or have practicing methods from following book Primordial Breath: An Ancient Chinese Way of Prolonging Life Through Breath Control, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2?

Or maybe details of the guy who was one of the authors/translators Michael Wurmbrand? I have heard the rumours that he did some courses in US several years ago...

I have been thinking of buying both books, have you heard any good feedback on these?

I don't need any feedbacks... I have been doing it daily for last 3 years..

An experience..................... cool

Was / are they worth the effort? Happy with the results? Looking for more advanced or continuing the same practice?

Hi Mal,

on my opinion it was/is worth efforts and i am happy with results.. but there are details I would like to discuss but hardly somebody can help without doing it...

the practice in itself is quite demanding and time consuming for modern person and often contradict with some now-taoist accepted ideas...

keep in mind that most of the works translated in vol.1 around 2000 years old..

Exactly, I know of the book never actually got my hands on it. I love old works but I find the language very complex and time consuming to "decode" Like you said then you actually have to get out there and actually follow the instructions. I'm not good at that part.

Anyhow after 3 years I'm glad that it has been worthwile, hope you find someone else who "has had a go"

strange enough but the most oldest text are really clear and easy to follow... the younger it is the more alchemical allegory pile up and at the end I think hardly somebody today fully understand all this tiger/dragon/mercury/cauldron cipher not to mention try to practice..

one thing which distinguish this old texts from the rest of Tao books is advocating of breath retention (like Tummo or Khumbaka) as main exercise...

But thinks this way, yoga is hugely popular.. in one of main works Pradipika said do 360 khumbakas per day..
How many people do at least 3 a day? Asanas are much more pleasure to do and much more profitable to teach

I did my best everywhere on the net.. nobody doing this .. I heard that Michael Wurmbrand had a group of people but also no traces of him... Original Books publishing after publishing these two volumes seize to exist..

Oh, that's my problem. I thought all the dragons and cauldron stuff WAS the old language. Had the same problem with the occult books I read. Thought they were either in code to disgues meaning or being used like a scientific language to give a word a specific meaning.



Know what you mean how, many even practice between classes
Don't know if it's true but I read once "To miss one day of practice is the same as missing 10" That quote and the fact that my Sifu practices everyday is why I practice everyday.




At least the book helped you

Have any of you guys read Yang Jwing Ming's Embryonic Breathing? I thought it was very good, I also bought the DVD which is ~hour and a half lecture. The best thing I liked about the book though was the translations of ancient docs he has in there. A significant portion of the book is dedicated to it. Many subtle road signs.

Hi,

I have been doing Dr Yang Jwing Mings Embryonic breathing for about a year or so now. I haven't found anyone else doing it so its nice to know that others are practicing it.

I do it to enhance my tai chi practice. I am still at a very early stage though as I am taking it real slow. The book is excellent as it has lots of ancient translated texts.

Feel free to PM or email to discuss our training.

Well I read just rereading the "embryonic breathing" in Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality -- trans. by Charles Luk.

It's been a long time since I read this book because my practice was so powerful from this book that I thought I could never return to it.

I thought I had only got up to chapter 6 for results but actually got to

IMMORTAL BREATHING which is deeper than embryonic breathing.

In "immortal breathing" the vitality or chi in the body naturally cycles from the feet and the lower back -- you breathe

THROUGH YOUR SKIN -- not through your nose and lungs.

I had this ability for several days when I did a week long bigu training -- no food and only half a glass of water.

I think "Taoist Yoga" is a very amazing book but you really have to achieve and experience what it describes to understand the book.

What I experienced was so intense that I wasn't even able to realize how it was described in the book until some 6 years later!

So I thought I had gotten to only embryonic breathing but had actually got to immortal breathing.

Is anyone else training this in the UK?

Perhaps we can meet up and train?

"IMMORTAL BREATHING which is deeper than embryonic breathing.

In "immortal breathing" the vitality or chi in the body naturally cycles from the feet and the lower back -- you breathe

THROUGH YOUR SKIN -- not through your nose and lungs.

------------------------
[i]xcuse me drew, just have to ask. breathing both in and out, th is: inhaling and exhaling?
...wow!!

my nose felt suddenly embarrased and sad &superfluent...

Must get this book thanks for posting your experiences!

Do you have a link for this book?

Thanks for asking -- amazingly it's been turned into a free google book! oops -- this is just an excerpt preview...

http://books.google.com/books?id=a_olqazEV...Q6UO__lrmcUBeng

There's also this.... http://www.kheper.net/topics/Taoism/circul...n_of_light.html

Sifu Max also has a practice he calls "central channel breathing" which he claims is more powerful than his Thunder breathing practice. The basics are that you focus your intent on trying to breathe through the top of the skull. He claims this will eventually open your crown chakra. One of the signs to look for is fluid appearing on the top of the scalp. This is a sign that the crown has opened.

P.S. It's funny how things work. I bought Charles Luk's book probably 6 or 7 years ago. I was more interested in western alchemy back then, and never read it. I started reading it last year, but found some of the theory hard to get a handle on. Thanks to the Taobums educational system, I may tackle it again.

yes I did... Yang Jwing Ming book talking about completely different practice...

I'm currently reading far too much already, but those books look intriguing...could you elaborate on differences?

sorry short of time...

Yang Jwing Ming practice is more related to meditation...
Primordial Breath practices are more or less tibetian tummo/indian pranayama...

gotcha...thanks!

Hello to all. I see that some searchers wish references that have certain conceptual firmness and speak about the practice. I am thinking about being able to help a little.

As for symbols in the translations. Eva's Wong books allow to understand them. That is the north, the south, the magpie, etc.

With regard to the books of Charles Luk. Someone descriptions are very particular. Very specific of HIS development.

He would want to contribute some linkage and names of interesting books. They can criticize them and also investigate, to do it with justice.

Did they know that this author (Maspero, Henry) in the year 50, already was speaking on respiration immortally and curative sounds?

Have they read anything of the work of Nan Huai-Chin?. His writings are very clear and experienced and especially SINCERE.

<http://www.sinc.stonybrook.edu/Clubs/buddhism/nhj/>

Here there are good references and summaries of beautiful texts.
<http://eng.taoism.org.hk/religious-activities&rituals/alchemical-literature/pg4-5-3.asp>

This author was very serious in his writings. Very grateful.
The Tao of Meditation: Way to Enlightenment by Tsung Hwa Jou

A very interesting topic is that of Six Healing Sounds for Nourishing Life.
What looks like to them the topic?

There are Good details and references in the books of Despeux, Catherine and Livia Konh as well as in " L'expiration Des Six Souffles D'apres Les Sources Du Canton Taoique One Procede Classique Du Qigong, " or in <http://www.orientalfitnessinstitute.com/first-Sound-Xu.htm>. or in site of Jesse Tsao.

I have read that some persons have trained in these arts.
I want to incorporate a paragraph on this matter.

Simplicity does not have to make to mistake with easy. Although the simplest thing is sometimes also easy, the acquisition of the skill of being simple is usually to complicated process. To go so far grasp to realize the different skills of simply, native form and with the forced it jousts, not only there is necessary the exact knowledge of the theoretical and practical system, but also one needs from to method of be necessary and progressive training.

Good luck!

hi!

i do not know if it helps you because it is not a direct respond to your thread. there is a translation of "Tranquil Sitting" by Shi Fu Hwang (Author) from Cheney Crow (Translator). kenneth cohen refers to this book in his own book. he describes it as one of the most important books on qi gong and embryonic breathing. so do other qi gong teachers. i ordered it a few days ago.

greetings ian

Anyone reading this book lately? Seems like a treasure trove. Have been reading for the past few days but could not get past few chapters. There are various breathing practices, or probably one with slight modifications. Any pointers on how to go about this book would be greatly appreciated.

Yeah when I do reverse breathing in full-lotus I feel magnetic pressure on the top of my skull, in the center of my forehead, in my pineal gland....the right-side vagus neck nerve pulses... ok back to work... but the full-lotus will continue.

Drew,

Can you tell me more about reverse breathing ive heard it can be bad for you im not sure if that is true but can you tell me why and what its used for in meditation and the outcome compared to natural breathing?

Also when i do reverse breathing my stomach doesnt move a whole lot or suck inwards that much is that normal?

WYG

Drew,

I have a basic question about reverse breathing. Whether it simply brings in more energy or chi into the lower tan tien or does it also open the microcosmic orbit? I read in a book (cannot recollect which one!) that reverse breathing, practiced seriously without the channels open, leads to problems. Thanks in advance for your inputs....

I'm in no way an authority on reverse breathing, and would be interested to read Drew's reply.

I discovered reverse breathing internally before having read about it. It was during a period when I was doing a lot of breath development - 3 dimensional breathing, slowing down the breath etc.

The dangers I suspect come about when full, relaxed, natural 3d breathing (belly, lower back, sides etc.) is not yet developed, and you end up adding more tension to the system.

I discovered the reverse breath when doing extensive pauses after the exhale. Eventually I would get a very powerful, expanding pulse on the end of the out breath and a vacuum-like contraction at the top of the in breath. If you pay attention to only the physical aspect of breathing, you'll notice the opposite effect - the in breath brings in a surge of oxygen and you feel expansive - the out breath then contracts inwards.

So the energetic were moving like an opposite harmonic wave (expanding when the physical contracts and visa versa) - breathing this way for a while and allowing the body to time it perfectly, I would get submerged in a very powerful energetic pulse. The power would build and I found myself having orgasmic-like reactions with my breath involuntarily reversing (belly contracts on the in breath and expands and the out breath) - the belly follows the energetic wave pattern rather than the normal physical one...

Now when I do the reverse breathing from the start, I can activate that pulsing very quickly, without hours of preliminary breathwork. I'm guessing that this is what reverse breathing is actually meant to do (?)

Yeah qigong master Chunyi Lin doesn't emphasize breathing -- he just teaches to use reverse breathing in a mild manner and then he emphasizes the small universe practice -- which opens up the energy channels. The mind has to guide the energy of course so the body should never be forced.

For example you're not supposed to be able to hold your breath till you pass out -- supposedly the anterior cingulate gyrus (whatever that is) takes over your cerebral cortex intention of holding your breath, not enabling you to pass out.

In fact in first grade we had a breath holding contest on the way to the bathroom at the other end of the school. I won easily -- holding my breath long after the others were breathing. My friend woke me up after I had hit the two cement corner walls and the cement floor and then I bawled all the way back to my room, leaving a trail of blood.

Apparently the Sherpas were similarly tested -- only those who could hold their breath till passing out were allowed to guide the first Western climb of Mt. Everest.

My book buddy Bert got this from a "Rituals of the Sherpa" book he came across.

Also Ramana Maharshi said to practice breathing exerices but he warned against Kundalini yoga since it caused too much fixation on the body -- so again the mind has to guide the breath.

The real mind though is not our thoughts -- so that's the "emotion of the mysterious" that Einstein was always trying to get at but never really figured out.

Wow, thats exactly what I was planning to ask. Master Lin does not seem to specify what breathing needs to be employed during Small universe, or does he and I missed it? During the active exercises he does teach reverse breathing but in Small Universe, it is assumed that normal breathing has to be followed? Appreciate your inputs, as always.....Thanks...

Well he emphasizes "keeping the mouth shut" during the exercises. haha. That's what he told me: Keep your mouth shut! haha. That's basic yoga breathing - the nose filters and warms the air coming in (especially here in Minnesota).

He states that he breathes like 3 times a minute or less for meditation so....

He states 20 minutes of full-lotus is worth 4 hours of any other excercise but small universe can also take you to the most advanced level.

the "embryo" is actually when the energy moves to the middle tan tien and is surrounded by light -- that's really nirvikapli samadhi -- what Sri Yukteswar calls

BREATHLESS ECSTASY

You need to create strong electromagnetic fields first so the whole body is filled with them. Technically meditation doesn't start until after nirvikalpi samadhi is achieved.

It's what Taoists call "the emptiness" -- but, as Master Nan, Huai-chin states most modern meditators don't even make it to this level before "falling back into worldliness" and here we are! haha.

Awesome Drew, since i have had a serious injury i cannot do full lotus would that mean it would be half the time to full lotus if i did half lotus?

regards
WYG

The best way is the natural way , so ,any deliberate manipulating of your breath can hardly be a correct thing we should do . Similarly , embryonic breathing is a natural phenomena definitely will appear when your practice reach certain level [/b]

the best explanation is on preface for volume 2 by Michael Wurmbrand...

also when do you find reverse breathing in those volumes? can't remember any mention of it..