Breathing

In yoga they say that when the out-breath is thorough then the in-breath takes care of itself. Most of us, I have found, hold onto a little of our stale air – don't deflate fully on the out-breath – and use this residual internal pressure to keep a semblance of good posture and attentiveness. Holding onto air is holding onto tension, and holding onto tension is holding onto false image, allowing us to live largely in our head. For the Tai Chi student there are two problems with this: firstly the retained air blocks the passage through you into the Earth, compromising your root and (therefore) your ability to connect to anything, and secondly your spirit – the part of you that should be responsible for good posture and attentiveness – is encouraged to slumber. The problem for everyone is that this retained stale air becomes the foundation upon which internal strength is built, giving that strength a core of weakness, disconnectedness and self-interest. We should build on essence, and this will happen only if we can relinquish on each out-breath – surrender ourselves and start the in-breath afresh and renewed.