We always consider the breath when practicing tai chi, but frequently our focus is on inhaling, leaving the exhalation almost as an afterthought. A tai chi friend and medical doctor, Susan Lucas, recently wrote a blog post about exhaling that offers some useful insights about the breath. She has given me permission to share it with you. from Exhale by Susan Lucas, MD One of my Tai Chi teachers was once asked about how to focus on the breath in the Sun style form we were learning. He responded that you do not need to think about the inhale. Put all your attention on your exhale and let the inhale take care of itself. One thing I have observed in my own breathing, and in many of my clients, is that Western culture is very focused on inhaling. We take shallow in-breaths with, at times, non-existent out-breaths. The more stressed I feel, the more I move into fast, shallow breathing. Even deep breathing exercises have us focusing on bringing in more air, on filling up our bellies and then our chests. The focus is on making sure we get enough of the essential element of oxygen.
