Tapping the endlesspowers of brathing!

This acclaimed classic shows you how to tansform breathing into vital enery to attain a perfect balance of body, mind, and spirit. Classical singer and chi kung expert Nancy Zi guides you through chi yi (the art of breathing) in 6 simple lessons. Using 24 progressive exercises and mental imagery drills, Zi demonstrates how to use breathing to:

Look, feel and be healthier.
Minimize the effects of aging.
Increase stamina and coordination.
Work through pain and promote healing.
Enhance speech, singing, athletics, meditation-and more!

This dynamic book has sold out 4 printings and has been translated into German, Italian, Swedish, and Chinese. The expanded 3rd edition adds 80 pages: 50 questions and insightful answers, 12 targeted exercises, and a thought-evoking Epilogue.

'More than an exercise program, The Art of Breathing has the potential to penetrate and change all apsects of living, simply and powerfully.'-NAPEA ReView

Nancy Zi is an internationally known classical singer and voice teacher. American born, raised in China, and with a bi-cultural education, Zi weaves together the best of ancient Eastern disciplines with modern Western techniques.

A must for anyone who wantes to optimize performance in athletics, the arts, or meditation-or simply enjoy better health, energy, and vitality.

Contents

Caution
Acknowledgments
Praise for the Art of Breathing
Introduction-A singer's discoveries
Part One The promise of chi yi
Chi yi: An art for today
The core
Introducing the imagery drills
The benefits of chi yi
Building confidence and enhancing personal presence
Increasing stamina, zest, and coordination
Improving the complexion
Freshening the breath
Preparing for childbirth
Relieving aches, pians, and discomforts
Hastening convalescence
Minimizing he effects of aging
Imroving speech and voice
Focusing the breath in meditation
Part Two Exercises for practicing chi yi
Some suggestions for practice
Counting
Posture
Developing internal sensations and muscular controls
Internal sensations
Muscular controls
Lesson One Leading the breath
Exercises
1A Stretching the abdominal muscles
1B Stretching the lower back muscles
1C Stretching the muscles at the base of the torso
1D Stretching the lower front and back torso
Thoughts on lesson 1
Lesson Two Coordinating the breath
Exercises
2A Draining tougue and tongue root tension into the core
2B Activating the tongue muscles
2C Controlling the tip and the root of the tongue
2D Stretching the muscles of the lower torso
Thoughts on lesson 2
Lesson Three Controlling the breath
Exercises
3A Directing the breath to the lower abdomen and lower back
3B Relieving neck tension
3C Relieving neck and shoulder tension
3D Leading the breath to the core
Thoughts on Lesson 3
Lesson Four Varying and extending the breath
Exercises
4A Flexing the lower abdominal and lower back muscles
4B Flexing the muscles of the lower sides adn back
4C Developing agility of the abdominal and lower torso muscles
4D Expanding the base of the torso
Thoughts on Lesson 4
Lesson Five Using the breath to develop the core
Exercises
5A Further expanding the lower circumference
5B Developing core sensation
5C Expanding and stabilizing the breath at the core
5D Intensifying core sensation
Thoughts on the first five lessons
Lesson Six Applying the breath
Exercises
6A Spreading the breath to the base of the torso
6B Strengthening the abdominal muscles
6C Strengthening diaphragm muscle and the core
6D Jogging in place with chi yi
Thoughts on Lesson 6
Part Three Applications of chi yi
Using the core energy
Suggestions for practicing the applications
Applications
1 Promoting relaxation
2 Waking up alert: The good morning regimen
3 Motivating movement from the core
4 Developing athletic prowess
5 Sustaining personal presence
6 Working through pain
7 Relieving discomfort in the fingers, hands, and arms
8 Conditioning the legs and arms
9 Creating a dynamic image
10 Combatting insomnia
11 Relieving gas pains in the stomach
12 Relieving congested nasal passages or sinuses
13 Relieving motion sickness
14 Improving speech and singing (vowel production)
Simplified vowel exrcise
Suggestions for using what you have learned
Part Four Questions and answers about chi yi
A dialogue about chi yi
50 questions and answers
1 Principles of chi yi
2 What is chi?
3 Chi and religion
4 I breathing a natural instinct?
5 A common mistake in breathing
6 Signs of a shallow breather
7 Are there breaks between braths?
8 Expalining correct deep breathing
9 Explaining incorrect shoulder breathing
10 Breathing through the nose or mouth
11 Air pollution
12 Tongue tension blocks airflow
13 Deaing with gum sensitivity
14 Jaw and neck tension
15 Clearing nasal congestion
16 Physical discomforts and aging
17 Lower back pain
18 In a wheel chair
19 Emphysema
20 Asthma
21 A smoker
22 Parenting and chi
23 A child holds her breath
24 The hearing impaired
25 Occupational hazards
26 A raspy voice
27 Body language
28 Body tension
29 Body workers
30 Breath interruptions
31 Out of breath
32 Enhancing sports
33 Traffic jam anxiety
34 Cleasing the lungs
35 Insomnia
36 Convalescence
37 Fragrance and inhalation
38 Exercising and breathing
39 Centering
40 Voice volume
41 Shyness
42 Speech and aging
43 Gasping for breath
44 Posture
45 Big and small deep breaths
46 A singer and stage fright
47 A trumpet player
48Laughter
49 An expedient pick-me-up
50A question for the author
Epilogue
About the author
List of imagery drills
Eyedropper
Accordion
Funnel-balloon
Tumbing pebble
String of beads
Cannonball
Elastic band
Kite
Coil of rope
Book stacking
Facial glow
Cream
Steam funnel
Sink and drain
Drinking straw
Red light bulb
Lotus
Relaxing the tongue
Barrel
Brathing tree
Melting tension
The three strings
Distant fragrance
Remote control
Funny spot
Targeted exercises
Air pollution
Jaw and neck tension
Nasal congestion
Stiff fingers
Physically disabled
Emphysema
Body tension
Out of breath
Cleansing the lungs
Speech and aging
Posture
An expedient pick-me-up

This may be a useful book for a singer or someone else who relies largely on breath control for their activities, but only the opening section will be useful for anyone else. In the opening, Zi discusses the basics of the breathing mechanism and the importance of mindful breathing. The rest of the book is dedicated to specific daily exercises which are far too involved and time-consuming for all but the most dedicated.