Refining the Vital Breath (qi)
The Origin of Refining the Vital Breath:
Refining the Vital Breath is one of the primary routine practices
of Taoists. It refers to constantly practicing Taoist Gymnastics
and adjusting one's breath in some special way so as to permeate
the Essence and the Vital Breath in the universe within the human
body. Then the man who practices in this way can be rid of diseases
and become an Immortal.
Such skills have long existed in ancient China. In the Song dynasty
of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Bao Zhao claimed in the
Collection of Staff Officer Bao: "The King of Huainan dreams of
longevity. So he often reads books on Immortality, Refines his
Vital Breath, and goes on a special diet." The King of Huainan was
Liu An (A.D.179-122) of the Western Han Dynasty.
The Taoist skill of Nourishing Life inherited the methods of
Refining the Vital Breath of ancient times. Sun Simiao, an eminent
Taoist and famous physician of the Tang Dynasty, wrote in his book
the Maxim on Visualization and Refinement of the Vital Breath that
one must relax one's spirit to achieve longevity. And if one
expects peace of mind, one must refine one's Vital Breath first.
The Vital Breath lies within; once the Spirit calms down, the Sea
of Vital Breath becomes abundant within. Thus the Spirit is not
distracted and longevity is promised.
The skills of Inner Alchemy have been popular since the Song and
Yuan Dynasty. Cultivating the inner self is a key activity in
Daoists' daily practice. Refining the Vital Breath is practised in
the first stage of Inner Alchemy, i.e., as a fundamental method to
construct a base for further cultivation.