Moving the light: The Microcosmic Orbit also known as the ‘Self Winding Wheel of the Law’ and the circulation of light is a Taoist Qigong or Taoist yoga Qi energy cultivation technique. It involves deep breathing exercises in conjunction with meditation and concentration techniques which develop the flow of qi along certain pathways of energy in the human body which may be familiar to those who are studying Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qigong, T’ai chi ch’uan, Neidan and Taoist alchemy.

The exercise can be performed usually at first in a sitting position, but it can also be practiced standing as in Zhan zhuang or with movements included as with T’ai chi ch’uan. The clear understanding of the microcosmic orbit technique is very important not only because of its historical context in the story of Chinese alchemy, but because it is at the heart of many Taoist forms of exercise performed throughout the world by many millions of people today.

Is deep breathing the opposite of light breathing? Deep breathing is a very valuable practice. There are some obvious advantages of deep breathing when it is practiced while you take walks, especially for beginners, as compared to when it is practiced in a posture of Siddhasan (enlightened posture) or Padmasan (lotus posture) or Sukhasana (easy posture), which are postures where you sit in a specific manner to stimulate some specific glands and sustain alertness during the practice. If you have been taking walks for some time now, you might have already learned to walk with a straight spinal column, which is advantageous for breathing practices, as well as in general.

Is breathing in the light a kind of meditation? Meditation is a way in which you can get acquainted with virtue in your mind so that you can have a calmer and more peaceful feeling. Having a peaceful mind is beneficial in helping you become free of your worries. This is not to say that you won?t worry about things, but you develop a more effective way of dealing with stressful situations in your daily life. You will be able to understand them in a different light and be able to see them for what they really are.

Breathing in the light as a missions statement… I believe it’s important for you to develop a mission statement for your life; one that is unique and articulates your values, goals, dreams; how you want to live. Your mission statement is a living, breathing testimony of the life you are committed to living. It is also a way to pull yourself back from the darkness when you are feeling lost in the minutiae of misery.

Just Breath: Here’s another valuable breathing lesson. As you inhale, let the breath gently fill your chest first then move down to soften your belly. At the first part of your inhale expand your upper ribs, in the middle of the inhale expand your lower ribs, at the last part of the inhale direct the breath into your belly.

Start each exhale with a slight contraction of your pelvic floor. Then continue the slight contraction from your pubic bone to the navel as you exhale so your lower abdominals contract on the first part of your exhale and the upper abdominal muscles contract on the second half. With the next inhale, let your belly soften again. Continue the cycle of small contraction from the bottom up on exhale and expanding and softening from the top down on inhale.