Life moves fast and with lots of demands on our minds and bodies. We all benefit from simple tools that help us manage stress and stay centered. The 4-7-8 breathing technique, popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil and rooted in pranayama traditions, is one of the easiest and most effective options for rapid calm. It requires no equipment and works anywhere, offering a quick, direct way to shift your body and mind.

How to Practice 4-7-8 Breathing

The method follows a clear rhythm that emphasizes a long, releasing exhale. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through the nose for a count of four. Hold the breath gently for a count of seven. Then exhale completely through the mouth for a count of eight. You can add a soft whoosh sound if it helps empty the lungs fully.

This completes one cycle. Begin with just four cycles, about one to two minutes, and build up to eight as it feels natural. The exact seconds matter less than keeping the 4:7:8 ratio. If the hold feels too long at first, shorten all counts proportionally while preserving the pattern. You can practice sitting, standing, or lying down. This makes it easy to weave into your day or pair with qigong postures.

In the Inner Resonance app, adjustable timed guidance for 4-7-8 breathing lets you simply follow the timer so you never have to count, and you can just be present with the process.

How It Works

This pattern calms the autonomic nervous system mainly through the extended exhale. That action strongly stimulates the vagus nerve and activates the parasympathetic rest-and-digest response while quieting sympathetic fight-or-flight activity. Many people notice improved heart rate variability, a slower overall breathing rate, and a welcome drop in tension. The technique also supports better gas exchange and helps regulate carbon dioxide levels, which contributes to clearer thinking and emotional steadiness. It aligns naturally with research on slow breathing that shows increases in alpha brain waves linked to relaxed focus.

The Science Behind 4-7-8 Breathing

The practice draws from ancient yogic breath control and has been examined in modern clinical settings. A 2022 study found that 4-7-8 breathing improved heart rate variability and reduced blood pressure. It showed particularly strong effects on parasympathetic activity in participants who were not sleep-deprived. Another trial with patients after bariatric surgery showed the technique significantly lowered anxiety levels compared to standard deep breathing, along with gains in quality of life. Broader reviews of similar slow and paced breathing methods highlight benefits for stress reduction, emotional regulation, vagal tone, and autonomic balance. These findings resonate deeply with qigong principles of qi regulation through breath.

Practical Benefits and Applications

With regular use, 4-7-8 breathing becomes a reliable ally for easing acute stress and anxiety. It supports faster sleep onset, sharpens focus before demanding tasks or training, and aids overall emotional regulation and recovery. It pairs especially well with resonant breathing, diaphragmatic work, or post-workout wind-downs. Many people turn to it during travel, time zone changes, creative blocks, or busy daily transitions. Guided versions in the Inner Resonance app make it even easier to stay consistent.

This simple habit delivers real impact. Its accessibility makes it a valuable addition whether you are deepening your qigong practice, navigating health changes, or balancing creative and professional demands.

Give it a consistent try for a week or two and observe the shifts in your energy, calm, and sleep. I would love to hear how it lands for you in the comments or our social media.

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My new science-backed breath-work and meditation app is now live as a web-based app. I built it from more than thirty years of qigong and meditation experience, blended with insights from neurology, immunology, and cellular health. Inner Resonance delivers targeted breathing methods and guided sessions to support nervous system balance, sleep, focus, and everyday resilience.

You get progress tracking, streaks, and offline access. It runs smoothly across phones, tablets, and laptops so you can practice wherever life takes you. A free 7 day trial of the complete app lets you get started right away and develop a meditation habit with confidence.

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References

Aktaş, İ., & İlgin, V. E. (2023). The effect of deep breathing exercise and 4-7-8 breathing techniques applied to patients after bariatric surgery on anxiety and quality of life. Obesity Surgery, 33(3), 920–929. LINK

Vierra, J., Gu, Z., & He, X. (2022). Effects of sleep deprivation and 4‐7‐8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults. Physiological Reports, 10(13), Article e15389. LINK

Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., & Gemignani, A. (2018). How breath-control can change your mind: A review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, Article 353. LINK

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The Inner Resonance Breathing and Meditation App

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My new science-backed breath work and meditation app is now live as a web-based app.

I built it using my time as a Qigong teacher (25 plus years) and blended it with peer-reviewed insights from neurology, immunology, and cellular health. Inner Resonance delivers targeted breathing methods and guided sessions to support: nervous system balance, sleep, focus, and everyday resilience.

You get progress tracking, streaks, and more. You can use it on your phone, tablet, and laptop. So, you can practice wherever life takes you. It also comes with a free 7 day trial, no payment information required. I created this as a practical tool for genuine change. It has always been my dream to take Qigong and breathing’s benefits to the general public, so that others can gain the benefits that I have over the years.

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Qigong and the Fog of Chemo Brain

Many people finish cancer treatment only to discover their mind has not kept pace with their body. Tasks that once felt automatic now take longer. Names disappear mid-sentence. Concentration slips at inconvenient moments. Most call it chemo brain. The clinical term is cancer-related cognitive impairment, and it is common.

Up to three-quarters of patients notice cognitive changes during treatment. Roughly one-third continue to struggle years afterward. Among breast cancer survivors the figure can still sit near 45 percent six years after therapy ends. These complaints are usually subjective. People feel the difference even when formal tests look relatively normal. Memory, attention, processing speed, and executive function are hit hardest. Anxiety, depression, fatigue, and poor sleep make everything worse. Because the problem sits so close to daily quality of life, researchers keep searching for options that do not add further risk.

A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis in the European Journal of Oncology Nursing examined one traditional Chinese mind-body practice that has drawn steady interest: qigong. The team led by Mu-Hsing Ho at the University of Hong Kong asked a direct question. Does qigong improve how cancer survivors rate their own cognitive function?

Study selection and design

They searched six major databases from the earliest records through May 2025. Eligible studies had to include adults with confirmed cancer, a qigong-based intervention (Tai Chi, Baduanjin, medical qigong, or similar forms), a comparison group that was usually usual care, and at least one measure of subjective cognitive function. Both randomized trials and quasi-experimental designs were accepted.

Nineteen studies met the criteria. Sixteen supplied enough data for meta-analysis. Most came from mainland China; others came from the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Participants had breast, lung, gastrointestinal, and mixed cancers. Sample sizes ranged from 20 to 151. Programs lasted from three to twenty-four weeks and combined gentle movement, coordinated breathing, and focused attention. Baduanjin appeared most frequently. Many programs also included home practice supported by video or simple written guides.

Pooled cognitive outcomes

Across the sixteen studies, qigong produced a large and statistically significant improvement in subjective cognitive function compared with usual care. The pooled effect size was Hedges’ g = 1.22. In practical terms, the average person in a qigong group reported noticeably clearer thinking than the average person who did not practice. The result remained large even after individual studies were removed one at a time.

Heterogeneity was high, which is expected when trials differ in cancer type, program length, and the questionnaires used. Longer follow-up after the formal sessions appeared linked to stronger benefit, suggesting that continued practice may matter. Different forms of qigong and different questionnaires did not produce meaningful differences. The shared elements of movement, breathing, and attention seemed more important than any particular sequence of postures.

Evidence on objective cognitive performance was thin. Only two small studies measured both subjective reports and formal tests. Both showed promising signals, but the data were too limited for formal pooling. The review therefore concentrated on what patients themselves reported.

Secondary findings

Many of the same trials also recorded improvements in fatigue, sleep, anxiety, depression, pain, and overall quality of life. These secondary gains match earlier research on qigong in cancer care and may help explain the cognitive improvements. When fatigue and distress ease, thinking often feels clearer.

Clinical relevance

Subjective complaints are not trivial. They track with poorer quality of life, higher distress, and difficulty returning to work or managing ordinary routines. Patients can notice and report these problems themselves, which makes them an early target for support. Qigong requires no special equipment. It can be adapted for limited mobility, and sitting forms are already common. Nurses, therapists, or certified instructors can teach it. Several of the reviewed programs combined supervised sessions with home practice, a format that is more realistic for people living far from clinics or dealing with ongoing fatigue.

Limitations that remain

The large effect size is encouraging. The authors remain careful. Most studies used usual care as the control, so participants knew which group they were in. That leaves room for expectation effects on self-report measures. Sample sizes were often modest. Breast cancer was over-represented. Few trials followed people beyond a few months, so durability remains uncertain. Possible biological pathways, including changes in blood flow, inflammation, stress hormones, and neuroplasticity, are still only partly understood.

Even so, the formal certainty rating for the subjective cognitive finding was high. That rating reflects the consistent direction across studies and the size of the pooled effect, while still acknowledging the limits that come with unblinded self-reports.

Implications for practice

For clinicians the review suggests qigong can sit as one non-drug option inside a wider supportive-care plan. After checking functional capacity, oncology teams can direct patients toward rehabilitation services or community instructors who already work with people living with cancer. For survivors the practical message is simpler. A gentle practice that pairs movement with mindful breathing may help clear some of the mental fog that lingers after treatment. The additional benefits for sleep, energy, and mood make the practice worth considering even if the cognitive gains prove modest for any single person.

As the authors conclude, the significant effect size indicates that qigong has strong potential to improve subjective cognitive function in cancer patients and can serve as an effective non-pharmacological strategy for managing cancer-related cognitive impairment.

Future work still needs longer follow-up, more objective testing, clearer information on dose and duration, and studies that include older adults and a broader range of cancers. Until those data arrive, the current evidence supports a measured but hopeful place for qigong among the tools available to people living with the cognitive aftermath of cancer.

Reference
Ho, M.-H., Takemura, N., Ho, K. Y., Lin, Y.-K., Cheung, D. S. T., Wang, L., Xin, G., Zhang, Q., & Lin, C.-C. (2026). Effectiveness of qigong on subjective cognitive function in cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 81, Article 103163.

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If the material above interests you, my new book may be of interest.

Qigong & The Science of Breath: Physiology, Neuroscience, and Embodied Wisdom

This new book focuses on our breath, which sits at the heart of most qigong systems. Drawing from physiology, neuroscience, and clinical findings, it shows how deliberate breathing patterns can create measurable shifts in the nervous system, energy levels, and day-to-day vitality.

It examines research and practical insight on:

• diaphragmatic breathing, gas exchange, and autonomic regulation
• heart-rate variability and nervous-system balance
• neurological and systemic effects, including inflammation and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics
• spinal stability and the contribution of posture
• why modern breathing habits so often go off track
• the variables that matter most: rate, depth, nasal versus oral routes, and alignment
• practical tools for personalization, simple tracking, and safe daily use

The framing stays physiological and evidence-based rather than mystical. The aim is a clearer working understanding of how skillful breath work can refine an existing practice and support greater resilience and presence.

Available now available for pre-order in Kindle format.

(Audio and Print Versions will be available August 1st)

Click here to get your copy

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Life can get overwhelming. If you’re anything like me you plate is full before you wake up. Going to the gym/training, dealing with creative challenges and dealing with difficult people all add up. It literally makes you want to sigh. Well, there’s good news. You can utilize that sigh as a form of stress relief.

Cyclic sighing is a great way to use the body’s own natural impulse to sigh to calm the nervous system and lift your mood. The best part is you can do it anywhere, any time, for almost instant stress relief.

How to Practice Cyclic Sighing

Take a deep inhale through the nose and fill your lungs most of the way up. Add a short second inhale through the nose to top them up completely. Then let of your breath out in a long, smooth exhalation through the mouth that lasts longer then the two inhales combined.

Repeat that cycle for about 5 minutes. You can also just do shorter rounds of several breathing cycles to quickly reset your system. Don’t worry too much about exact timing, though it does help to get into the swing of things. The key is an extended exhalation. You can practice this technique in any position: seated, standing, or lying down. This method also integrates seamlessly with Qigong practice.

How It Works

Cyclic sighing takes advantage of the body’s own natural reset mechanism. There is a reason why you sigh when you need to refocus. The double inhalation fully expands the lungs and reinflates collapsed alveoli, which improves oxygen exchange and helps it pass more effectively into the bloodstream. The longer exhale clears out excess carbon dioxide and strongly activates the parasympathetic “rest and digest” response through the vagus nerve. This swiftly reduces the stress response while promoting a sense of calm and emotional balance.

The Science Behind Cyclic Sighing

This breathing practice has strong support from well-designed research. A 2023 randomized controlled trial at Stanford University analyzed subjects practicing various breathing techniques and mindfulness meditation. Cyclic sighing ended up as the most effective method studied. It produced the largest improvements in positive mood and the largest reduction in resting respiratory rate physiological arousal, when compared to the other methods. These methods appeared both immediately and added up cumulatively over the month-long study.

This fits with the broader evidence on slow breathing and sighing enhancing vagal tone, improving lung function, and aiding emotional regulation. These findings also align with ancient Qigong principles of breathing to improve Qi flow and modern understandings of neurophysiology.

Practical Benefits

With regular practice, cyclic sighing becomes a reliable ally for dealing with acute stress and anxiety. It supports faster mental recovery between tasks, improves sleep quality, and strengthens overall emotion resilience. It can be used for a quick reset during the day, a way to let go of the day’s demands in the evening, and a way to manage mental health challenges.

It’s a simple method that can deliver a genuine impact. It’s easily accessible, with a solid evidence base to back up its benefits. Give it a try for a week or two. Notice the way your energy shifts, how much calmer you feel, and how much better you can handle mental challenges when they pop up.

The Inner Resonance Breathing and Meditation App

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My new science-backed breath work and meditation app is now live as a web-based app.

I built it using my time as a Qigong teacher (25 plus years) and blended it with peer-reviewed insights from neurology, immunology, and cellular health. Inner Resonance delivers targeted breathing methods and guided sessions to support: nervous system balance, sleep, focus, and everyday resilience.

You get progress tracking, streaks, and more. You can use it on your phone, tablet, and laptop. So, you can practice wherever life takes you. It also comes with a free 7 day trial, no payment information required. I created this as a practical tool for genuine change. It has always been my dream to take Qigong and breathing’s benefits to the general public, so that others can gain the benefits that I have over the years.

Try Inner Resonance here

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References

Balban, M. Y., Neri, E., Kogon, M. M., Weed, L., Nouriani, B., Jo, B., Holl, G., Zeitzer, J. M., Spiegel, D., & Huberman, A. D. (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 4(1), Article 100895. LINK

Russo, M. A., Santarelli, D. M., & O’Rourke, D. (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe, 13(4), 298–309. LINK

Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., & Gemignani, A. (2018). How breath-control can change your mind: A review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, Article 353. LINK

Meditation is not about forcing yourself into an uncomfortable shape. It is about creating the conditions for stillness, presence, and natural awareness. In meditation, posture forms the foundation. It aligns the body so the mind can settle more easily.

Over my 30-plus years of practice and clinical work, I have found that three postures cover nearly every situation. These are traditional seated on the floor, seated in a chair, and standing. You can also use laying down on your back, but that requires little to no instruction. Each has its own strengths, yet all can lead to the same deep state of meditative awareness.

Here is how to practice each one correctly.

Seated on the Floor

This is the classic posture most people picture when they think of meditation.

Sit on a firm cushion or folded blanket so your hips sit slightly higher than your knees. Choose a leg position that works for your body: full lotus, half-lotus, or Burmese, with both feet tucked under the opposite thighs. Rest your hands in your lap with right hand in the left with thumbs lightly touching.

Sit forward on your sit bones. Lengthen your spine upward as if a thread gently pulls the crown of your head toward the ceiling, and let your shoulders relax downward. Keep your chin slightly tucked and your eyes half-closed, gazing softly three to four feet ahead on the floor.

Key alignment points include ears over shoulders and shoulders over hips. Your spine should feel tall but not rigid, like a stack of coins balanced gently.

This posture creates a stable base that supports longer sits and naturally engages core awareness. Many practitioners notice improved energy flow and a stronger sense of grounded presence. If your knees sit high or your back rounds, add more height under your hips or try a meditation bench.

Seated in a Chair

This posture is just as legitimate as floor sitting and often more sustainable, especially for those with knee, hip, or back issues.

Choose a straight-backed chair. Avoid deep couches or office chairs that encourage slouching. Sit forward on the edge of the seat so your back does not lean against the backrest. Place your feet flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart. Rest your hands on your thighs, palms down or up, or in a relaxed mudra.

Lengthen your spine upward, relax your shoulders, and balance your head as if suspended from above. Keep your eyes gently half-closed with a soft downward gaze.

The alignment principles remain the same as floor sitting: tall spine, relaxed shoulders, and a grounded base. The chair simply provides support while you stay alert and upright. This makes the practice accessible to almost everyone. It works especially well for beginners, older practitioners, or quick sessions during work breaks.

Keep your thighs parallel to the floor or slightly angled. If your feet do not reach the ground comfortably, place a small block or books underneath.

Standing Meditation

Also known as Standing Like a Tree/Post, this posture builds tremendous stability, stamina, and embodied presence.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees softly bent. Never lock the knees. Distribute your weight evenly across the soles of your feet. Lengthen your spine upward while relaxing your shoulders and lower back. Let your arms hang naturally at your side, loose and relaxed. Keep your eyes half-closed with a soft gaze and a calm, alert expression.

Focus on rooted feet, soft knees, a relaxed yet upright spine, and rounded arms that create gentle expansion without tension. Start with five to ten minutes and gradually increase the time. The posture should feel stable and alive, never forced.

This practice strengthens the legs and core, improves circulation, and helps many people feel qi sensations more clearly.

Common Principles Across All Three Postures

Keep the spine tall and naturally extended, never rigid. Relax the shoulders and face. Tension here is one of the biggest obstacles for most beginners. Half-closed eyes help balance inward focus with outward awareness. Let your breath remain natural at first. Over time you can explore gentle abdominal breathing or the practices in the Inner Resonance app. When thoughts arise, gently return to posture and breath without judgment.

Which Posture Should You Use?

Choose whatever allows you to sit or stand with peace and steadiness for the length of your practice. Many people rotate between all three during a single session or across the week. The best posture is simply the one you will actually practice consistently.

Posture is not the goal. It is the gateway. When the body is aligned and at ease, the mind has a much better chance of finding stillness.

Discover Inner Resonance

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My new science-backed breathwork and meditation app is now live as a web-based app. I built it from more than thirty years of qigong and meditation experience, blended with insights from neurology, peer-reviewed research on meditation, and cellular health. Inner Resonance delivers targeted breathing methods and guided sessions to support nervous system balance, sleep, focus, and everyday resilience.

You get progress tracking, streaks, and offline access. It runs smoothly across phones, tablets, and laptops so you can practice wherever life takes you. A free 7 day trial lets you explore the entire app including: the core evidence-based meditations, along with premium guided practices available to the complete experience.

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Note: This is not my regular fact-based outcome style review. This is a theoretical model written by a physicist explaining Qi. I actually find this type of thing very interesting, so I hope you enjoy it too.

Qi is one of the most familiar ideas in Chinese medicine, yet it is also one of the hardest to translate into the language of modern science. It can describe movement, function, vitality, transformation, and communication within the body. These meanings are useful in clinical practice, but they do not automatically tell us whether Qi corresponds to a measurable physical substance or force.

A 2024 paper by Jiang Jianzhong and Chen Xingyu takes on that difficult question directly. Rather than treating Qi only as a traditional concept, the authors ask whether it might be described through physics. They propose that Qi, scalar waves, and torsion fields are different names for the same phenomenon. From there, they develop equations intended to explain how Qi might travel, interact with water, and influence cellular energy production.

It is an ambitious proposal. It is also important to understand exactly what kind of paper this is. The authors are offering a theoretical model, not reporting a new clinical trial. Their argument combines mathematical derivations, conceptual diagrams, and findings drawn from earlier studies. The paper therefore gives us a hypothesis about how Qi could work, rather than experimental proof that this is how it does work.

Building a Physical Model of Qi

The paper begins with earlier reports suggesting that emitted Qi can affect biological cells or alter measurable properties of water. These reports include changes in protein synthesis, water conductivity, and the organization of hydrogen bonds between water molecules. The authors use these findings as the starting point for a larger physical explanation.

Their model brings together three ideas: scalar waves, torsion fields, and neutrinos.

A scalar wave is described in the paper as a form of longitudinal wave. In an ordinary electromagnetic wave, the electric and magnetic fields oscillate across the direction in which the wave travels. In a longitudinal wave, the oscillation is proposed to occur along the direction of travel.

A torsion field is presented as a field associated with spin and the twisting of space-time. Neutrinos are extremely small particles that interact only weakly with matter, allowing them to pass through material with little interference.

The authors believe these three ideas share important features with Qi. In their account, all can carry energy and information, penetrate matter, and be difficult to measure. On this basis, they propose that neutrinos may act as the particles that carry Qi, while scalar-wave and torsion-field descriptions explain its wave-like behaviour.

This is where the paper becomes highly theoretical. The proposed particle model begins with the assumption that a photon contains an electron and a positron moving in a double-helix pattern. The direction of their spin and spiral movement is then used to distinguish left-handed from right-handed forms of Qi. The authors describe left-handed Qi as positive and high-energy, while right-handed Qi is described as negative and low-energy.

They then approach the same question from a wave perspective. Using scalar and magnetic vector potentials, they derive equations in which Qi is represented by linked longitudinal electric and magnetic components moving through a vacuum. They suggest that two electromagnetic waves can cancel one another while leaving behind a scalar wave capable of drawing additional energy from what they call the zero-point vacuum energy field.

The equations give the hypothesis a formal structure, but they do not by themselves confirm that Qi, scalar waves, and torsion fields are identical. That identity is the central proposal upon which the rest of the model depends.

Why Use Water?

Water plays a central role in the paper because earlier experiments cited by the authors reportedly found that water could absorb the effects of emitted Qi. According to those reports, water exposed to positive Qi showed increased electrical conductivity, while water not exposed to Qi remained comparatively stable. Other cited observations suggested changes in hydrogen bonding and the size of water-molecule clusters.

The new model attempts to explain how this could happen. The authors propose that positive, left-handed Qi creates a spiral-shaped electrical pathway in water. This pathway is said to influence the movement of free electrons and water ions, increasing ionization and electrical conductivity. At the same time, the added energy is proposed to disrupt some of the weaker hydrogen bonds linking water molecules, producing smaller molecular groupings.

Negative, right-handed Qi is described as producing the opposite effect. Rather than encouraging the movement of free electrons, it is proposed to repel or reorganize them, reducing conductivity and moving water toward a lower-energy state.

These explanations are theoretical. The paper reproduces graphs from previous work showing a decline in the relative resistivity of water treated with positive Qi and little change in untreated water. However, it does not present a new water experiment, nor does it provide enough methodological detail in this article to independently judge factors such as sample size, blinding, replication, or statistical uncertainty.

From Water to Mitochondria

The authors extend the same model from water to living cells. Their focus is ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, the molecule cells use to store and transfer usable energy. ATP is produced largely in the mitochondria by a molecular enzyme called ATP synthase.

In the proposed model, positive Qi creates another spiral electrical pathway, this time along the chain of amino acids that makes up ATP synthase. The pathway is said to attract free electrons and change their distribution around the cell membrane. The authors suggest that this could improve the efficiency of ATP synthase, raise the ratio of ATP to ADP, and place the cell in a higher-energy state. Negative Qi is proposed to reverse this process and reduce ATP production.

To support this interpretation, the paper discusses earlier experiments involving a Tesla scalar-wave generator and poinsettia plants. In the cited work, plants received a 10-milliwatt, 6.7-megahertz signal for 90 seconds. The treated flower buds reportedly showed a 40 percent increase in ATP, a lifespan extension of almost 10 percent, and a colour shift from red toward deep violet. The authors connect the colour change to electron movement within anthocyanins, the plant pigments responsible for red, purple, and blue colours.

This is the strongest experimental example discussed in the article, but an important distinction remains. The plant study used a device-generated signal. It did not test Qi emitted by a Qigong practitioner, and it did not study a clinical treatment. The present paper treats the device signal, scalar waves, torsion fields, and Qi as equivalent, but that proposed equivalence is precisely what still requires direct testing.

What Did the Paper Actually Find?

Because this is mainly a theoretical investigation, its principal result is a model rather than a newly observed biological effect. The authors present wave equations and a two-neutrino propagation model intended to explain how Qi might move through space. They then use this framework to account for previously reported changes in water conductivity and plant ATP levels.

Their conclusion is that positive Qi may interact with water and cellular fluid, alter electron movement, support mitochondrial ATP production, and strengthen what they call the biological energy field. They believe these mechanisms could eventually help explain Qigong and contribute to new medical applications.

At the same time, the paper acknowledges the need for more evidence. In the Results section, the authors state that “further clinical validation is necessary.” In the Discussion, they also call for rigorous scientific testing and multidisciplinary collaboration before Qi-related technologies are used in healthcare.

A Provocative Hypothesis, Not a Settled Mechanism

The value of this paper lies less in proving what Qi is than in making a broad idea more specific. A statement such as “Qi affects water” is difficult to test until it is translated into measurable predictions. This model proposes several: water conductivity should change after a defined exposure, electron behaviour should shift in a particular direction, ATP levels should rise under positive left-handed stimulation, and right-handed stimulation should produce different effects.

Those predictions can, in principle, be examined. Yet the paper builds its explanation through several linked assumptions. It assumes a particular internal structure for photons, identifies scalar waves with torsion fields, proposes neutrinos as the carriers of Qi, and then applies this combined model to water and mitochondria. If any link in that chain is not supported, the larger explanation would need to be revised.

For readers interested in Chinese medicine, the most responsible response is neither automatic acceptance nor automatic dismissal. The paper offers a creative attempt to connect a traditional concept with physical mechanisms, but its language sometimes moves more quickly from possibility to certainty than the evidence presented in the article allows. The equations show how the proposed system is meant to operate; they do not establish that nature actually operates this way.

That distinction matters clinically. The paper does not show that Qigong can raise ATP in human patients, that Qi is carried by neutrinos, or that changing water conductivity produces a health benefit. What it offers is a set of hypotheses that could guide future laboratory and clinical work.

Qi has always been a concept of relationship and transformation: how living systems move, organize, and respond. Jiang and Chen attempt to give that concept a particle, a wave, and a mathematical pathway through water and cellular metabolism. Whether their model survives careful experimental testing remains an open question.

For now, the paper is best read as an imaginative theoretical proposal—one that invites investigation but does not yet close the case.

Reference

Jiang, J., & Chen, X. (2024). Wave equations and particle propagation model of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) Qi and its interaction with water. Journal of Evolutionary Medicine, 12, Article 138567

Wave Equations And Particle Propagation Model Of Tcm Traditional Chinese Medicine Qi And Its Interaction With Water

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If this post resonated with you, you may enjoy my new book:
Qigong & The Science of Breath: Physiology, Neuroscience, and Embodied Wisdom

This book examines the scientific foundations of the breath that sits at the center of Qigong practice. Drawing from physiology, neuroscience, and clinical research, it explains how intentional breathing patterns create measurable shifts in the nervous system, energy, and vitality.

The book explores research and practical insight on:
• diaphragmatic breathing, gas exchange, and autonomic regulation
• heart rate variability and nervous system balance
• neurological and systemic effects, including inflammation and cerebrospinal fluid flow
• spinal stability and the role of posture
• why modern breathing habits often go wrong
• the key variables that matter most: rate, depth, nasal breathing, and posture
• practical tools for personalization, tracking, and safe daily use

Rather than presenting Qigong through mystical language, Qigong & The Science of Breath approaches the subject through physiology, neuroscience, and evidence-based understanding. It offers a clear explanation of how skillful breathwork can deepen any existing practice and support greater resilience, presence, and embodied wisdom.

Available now available for pre-order in Kindle format.

(Audio and Print Versions will be available August 1st)

Click here to get your copy

Buy Now

Breathing is often treated as something that happens in the background while we move. We walk, stretch, lift, or practise Tai Chi while the lungs quietly continue their work. Yet breathing is also a physical action. The diaphragm rises and falls, pressure shifts inside the abdomen, and muscles around the trunk respond. The body then makes constant small adjustments to remain balanced.

Change the way someone breathes, and you may also change how the rest of the body organizes movement.

A 2025 study published in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology explored this idea by comparing natural breathing with reverse abdominal breathing during a familiar Tai Chi movement. The researchers wanted to know whether changing the breath would affect muscle force, joint stability, or the coordinated patterns through which the leg muscles work together.

Their findings suggest that breathing technique may influence much more than the abdomen. In experienced Tai Chi practitioners, reverse abdominal breathing increased the involvement of several important lower-limb muscles and changed how the body coordinated balance and weight transfer. The results are intriguing, although they need to be interpreted with some care.

What Is Reverse Abdominal Breathing?

During ordinary abdominal breathing, the abdomen generally expands as we inhale. The diaphragm descends, the abdominal contents shift slightly, and the abdominal wall moves outward. As we exhale, the abdomen settles inward again.

Reverse abdominal breathing changes this pattern. The practitioner gently draws the abdomen inward during inhalation, then allows the abdominal wall to release and expand during exhalation. In Tai Chi and related internal practices, this method is often synchronized with specific phases of movement rather than practised as an isolated breathing exercise.

That synchronization was central to the study. Participants inhaled while rotating the torso and lifting the leg, actively drawing the abdomen inward. They exhaled as the foot landed and the body weight shifted forward, allowing the abdomen to release.

The researchers described this relationship as “breathing-posture synchronization.” The breath was not simply added to the movement. It became part of the movement’s timing and organization.

This matters because breathing changes pressure within the trunk and involves the diaphragm, abdominal wall, pelvic floor, spinal muscles, and other structures that help stabilize the torso. Since the pelvis forms the foundation for the legs, changes in trunk control may influence what happens at the hips, knees, and ankles.

How the Study Was Conducted

The study included 15 experienced Tai Chi practitioners, nine men and six women. Their average age was approximately 38, and each had more than five years of Tai Chi experience. None had joint, muscular, or other health problems that would prevent them from completing the movement safely.

The researchers examined part of the movement commonly known as Wild Horse Parts Its Mane. This was a useful choice because the movement combines several physical demands. The practitioner must briefly support the body on one leg, rotate the torso, step forward, transfer weight, and control the landing.

The researchers focused on the phase in which the left leg supported the body while the opposite leg moved forward and the centre of mass shifted. Each participant performed the movement under two conditions. First, they used natural breathing without consciously controlling its depth or timing. They then repeated the same movement using reverse abdominal breathing synchronized with the action.

Before the reverse breathing trials, the participants completed ten minutes of practice. A metronome helped establish a two-second inhalation during torso rotation and leg lifting, followed by a three-second exhalation during landing and forward weight transfer.

Several technologies were used to record what was happening. A high-speed motion-capture system tracked the participants’ movements, while a force platform measured the forces travelling between the foot and the ground. Surface electromyography, usually called EMG, recorded electrical activity from nine muscles in the supporting leg.

These included the gluteus maximus in the buttock, the quadriceps at the front of the thigh, the hamstrings at the back of the thigh, the gastrocnemius muscles in the calf, and the tibialis anterior along the front of the lower leg.

The research team also used a computer modelling program called OpenSim to estimate muscle force, joint movement, and joint stiffness. They compared the model’s estimates with the EMG recordings and found a reasonably strong relationship between them, lending some support to the reliability of the simulation.

The final part of the analysis looked at muscle synergy.

How the Nervous System Organizes Movement

The brain does not necessarily control every muscle as a completely separate unit. Instead, the nervous system appears to organize muscles into functional groups that can be recruited together. Researchers call these groups muscle synergies.

Imagine stepping forward while trying to remain balanced. The brain must coordinate muscles around the hip, thigh, knee, ankle, and foot. If every muscle had to be controlled independently, even a simple step would become enormously complicated. Muscle synergies may simplify this task by allowing the nervous system to activate groups of muscles in coordinated patterns.

The researchers used a mathematical analysis to identify these patterns in the participants’ EMG recordings. They found three main synergy groups under both breathing conditions.

The number of groups did not change. What changed was the contribution and timing of particular muscles within them. Reverse abdominal breathing did not create an entirely new way of moving. It appeared to adjust the emphasis within movement strategies the participants were already using.

Greater Force in Several Important Muscles

The clearest result was an increase in the estimated peak force of several lower-limb muscles. Compared with natural breathing, reverse abdominal breathing produced greater force in the gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and tibialis anterior.

All of these muscles contribute to stepping and weight transfer. The gluteus maximus helps control the hip as the body moves from one leg to the other. The rectus femoris contributes to both hip and knee control. The biceps femoris and semitendinosus are hamstring muscles that help stabilize the hip and knee. The tibialis anterior helps control the ankle and the placement of the foot.

Together, these muscles support the body as the centre of mass moves forward.

This does not necessarily mean that the participants were simply working harder. Reverse breathing may have changed how effort was distributed throughout the movement. Greater recruitment of the hips and thighs could help the body manage weight transfer more effectively, rather than relying mainly on small corrections around the ankle.

The authors suggested that drawing the abdomen inward during inhalation may have increased trunk engagement and pressure within the abdomen. This could provide a more stable central base from which the leg muscles operate.

That explanation is reasonable, but it was not directly tested. The study did not measure abdominal pressure, pelvic-floor activity, or diaphragm movement. These remain possible mechanisms rather than confirmed findings.

A Firmer Knee and Ankle

Reverse abdominal breathing also increased stiffness at the knee and ankle. In biomechanics, stiffness does not necessarily mean that someone is tense, rigid, or inflexible. It refers to how strongly a joint resists movement when force is applied.

A moderate amount of stiffness can be useful because it helps stabilize the body during stepping, landing, and unexpected changes in balance. Muscles on opposite sides of a joint often contract together to create this stability.

At the knee, coordinated activity between the quadriceps and hamstrings can help control the joint as the body moves forward. At the ankle, muscles at the front and back of the lower leg work together to manage sway and foot placement.

The study found that reverse abdominal breathing changed the activation relationship between the tibialis anterior and lateral gastrocnemius. The balance shifted toward greater involvement of the tibialis anterior, which may have contributed to the increase in ankle stiffness.

The participants did not become excessively rigid. The authors noted that the changes were small to moderate and well below the levels normally associated with high-intensity exercise. A reasonable interpretation is that reverse abdominal breathing helped create a firmer but still adaptable lower-limb structure during weight transfer.

Breathing and Balance Strategy

Human beings use several overlapping strategies to remain upright. For small balance adjustments, we often rely on an ankle strategy. The body moves somewhat like an inverted pendulum, with muscles around the lower leg and ankle making subtle corrections.

When movement becomes larger or more demanding, the hips become more involved. This is known as a hip strategy. The knees also contribute during stepping, lowering, and forward weight transfer.

The muscle synergy analysis suggested that reverse abdominal breathing changed the contribution of muscles associated with all three regions. One synergy emphasized the hamstrings and calf muscles, reflecting a combined ankle and hip strategy. Another emphasized the quadriceps and tibialis anterior, resembling a knee-focused strategy. A third was dominated by the gluteus maximus and rectus femoris, suggesting greater hip involvement.

During reverse abdominal breathing, several of these muscles contributed more strongly. The synergy dominated by the gluteus maximus and rectus femoris also appeared to activate earlier.

That timing may matter. Postural control is not only about producing enough force. The force must arrive at the right moment. Earlier recruitment of the hip and thigh muscles may help prepare the body for the approaching weight shift and foot contact.

Breathing may therefore act partly as a timing signal. A deliberate inhalation during lifting and rotation, followed by exhalation during landing and weight transfer, creates a predictable rhythm. The nervous system may use that rhythm to organize muscular activity more effectively.

How Could the Breath Influence the Legs?

The study offers several possible explanations. Reverse abdominal breathing requires deliberate muscular control, and the abdominal wall, diaphragm, and possibly the pelvic floor must coordinate with the rhythm of the movement. This may improve stability around the trunk and pelvis, giving the legs a stronger base.

Voluntary breathing also involves parts of the brain that participate in movement. Purposeful control of inhalation and exhalation may therefore influence motor pathways connected with the limbs.

There is also the question of anticipation. When the breath is consistently linked to a particular phase of movement, it may help prepare the body for what comes next. Inhaling during leg lifting and torso rotation is followed by exhaling during landing and weight transfer. With repetition, this pattern may help organize the sequence of muscular recruitment.

The study cannot tell us which of these mechanisms is most important. It does, however, support the broader idea that breathing, posture, and limb control are closely connected.

What This May Mean for Tai Chi Practice

For experienced practitioners, the research offers a possible biomechanical explanation for something often felt during practice: changing the breath can change the movement.

Reverse abdominal breathing may encourage greater participation of the hips and thighs. It may slightly increase stability at the knee and ankle while altering the timing of muscular coordination during stepping and weight transfer. This could be relevant when Tai Chi is used to develop balance, controlled movement, body awareness, and coordinated stepping.

The findings may also have future relevance for rehabilitation, particularly in programs concerned with posture and balance. At this stage, however, reverse abdominal breathing should not be presented as a proven treatment for weakness or instability. The participants were healthy, experienced practitioners. This was not a clinical trial involving people with balance disorders.

Future research could examine beginners, older adults, and rehabilitation patients. Researchers could also measure the diaphragm, abdominal pressure, pelvic floor, and trunk muscles directly. Longer studies would help determine whether the immediate changes observed in the laboratory eventually produce meaningful improvements in daily movement.

For now, the most useful conclusion is a modest one. Breathing is not simply a background process during Tai Chi. When intentionally coordinated with movement, it may become part of the body’s strategy for producing force, preparing the joints, and maintaining balance.

The breath does not merely accompany the movement. It may help organize it.

Reference

Yin, Y., Zhang, Y., Wang, M., Zhu, Y., Bi, G., & Zhang, S. (2025). The impact of reverse abdominal breathing on lower limb muscle strength and muscle synergy characteristics in Tai Chi Chuan. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 13, 1579139

Fbioe 13 1579139

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If this post resonated with you, you may enjoy my new book:

The Science of Medical Qigong: How Breath, Movement, and Attention Transform the Body

This book examines the growing body of scientific research exploring how Qigong practice influences human physiology. Drawing from clinical trials and experimental studies, it explains how coordinated breathing, posture, movement, and focused attention interact with the body’s regulatory systems.

The book explores research on:

• autonomic nervous system regulation
• cardiovascular function and blood pressure
• respiratory mechanics and lung capacity
• sleep quality and recovery
• inflammatory and immune signaling
• brain function and neural plasticity
• cognitive performance and mental health

Rather than presenting Qigong through mystical language, The Science of Medical Qigong approaches the subject through physiology, neuroscience, and clinical research, offering a clear explanation of how regular practice can influence the coordination and harmony of the body’s systems.

Available now in print and Kindle formats.

Click here to get your copy

Purchase

In the gentle flow of a qigong session or a quiet meditation, the breath settles into a slow, intentional rhythm. At that moment, an intricate physiological dance begins inside the bloodstream. Discovered by Danish physiologist Christian Bohr in 1904, the Bohr effect shows how carbon dioxide and blood acidity work together to control the release of oxygen from hemoglobin. This process ensures oxygen reaches the tissues that need it most.

The Science of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

Hemoglobin binds oxygen efficiently in the lungs, where oxygen levels are high and pH is relatively stable. As blood travels to active tissues, whether the brain during focused meditation or the muscles during qigong forms, those cells produce carbon dioxide as a natural byproduct of metabolism.

This CO2 diffuses into the blood and reacts with water to form carbonic acid. The result is a subtle drop in local pH. This increased acidity and higher carbon dioxide level causes hemoglobin to change shape, lowering its grip on oxygen so it can unload the molecule more readily. On the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve, this appears as a rightward shift. It is a beautifully adaptive mechanism that matches oxygen supply to metabolic demand.

This reveals the essential partnership between oxygen and carbon dioxide. Far from a simple waste product, carbon dioxide serves as a precise signal that fine-tunes oxygen delivery throughout the body.

When Breathing Disrupts the Balance

Rapid or shallow breathing, often triggered by stress, exhales too much carbon dioxide. Blood CO2 levels fall, pH rises, and hemoglobin holds onto oxygen more tightly. Tissues receive less oxygen than they need, even when blood oxygen saturation looks normal on a monitor.

This subtle mismatch can lead to fatigue, mental fog, or a general sense of reduced vitality. It explains why so many contemplative traditions emphasize breath awareness.

How Qigong and Meditation Work with the Bohr Effect

This is where meditation and qigong show their deep alignment with our physiology. In qigong, slow diaphragmatic nasal breathing, often paired with gentle movements or standing postures, helps maintain balanced carbon dioxide levels instead of letting them drop too low.

Extending the exhalation and adding natural pauses supports a mild, controlled retention of CO2. This facilitates the Bohr effect and promotes more efficient oxygen delivery to muscles, organs, and the nervous system.

In seated meditation, as the breath naturally lengthens and deepens, the body moves away from over-breathing. It enters a state where carbon dioxide and oxygen interact more harmoniously. Practices like box breathing, resonance breathing at around six cycles per minute, or the cyclic patterns in many qigong forms gently build CO2 tolerance. The result is better oxygen delivery plus stronger parasympathetic activation, which brings the deep relaxation and mental clarity practitioners often experience.

Building Long-Term Benefits Through Breath

With consistent practice, these breath-centered approaches strengthen the respiratory system over time. Better carbon dioxide regulation improves tissue oxygenation, cellular energy production, recovery, and overall internal stability.

What ancient qigong masters and meditators sensed intuitively, that mindful breath regulation cultivates vital energy and inner harmony, now finds clear support in the biochemistry of the Bohr effect. The breath acts as a bridge between conscious awareness and the body’s automatic rhythms. In moments of stillness or flowing movement, as qi is cultivated through coordinated breath and posture, the blood carries and distributes oxygen more effectively, nourishing every layer of our being.

A Timeless Practice Meets Modern Understanding

The Bohr effect invites us to see breathing as far more than an automatic process. It is a powerful tool for well-being. By embracing the slow, intentional rhythms of qigong and meditation, we align with our physiology rather than working against it. Carbon dioxide and oxygen find their natural balance, hemoglobin does its job with greater precision, and the body responds with increased vitality, calm focus, and a deeper sense of embodied presence.

In this way, the timeless practices of breath and movement continue to offer practical wisdom that resonates beautifully with our modern scientific understanding.

If this post resonated with you, you may enjoy my new book:

The Science of Medical Qigong: How Breath, Movement, and Attention Transform the Body

This book examines the growing body of scientific research exploring how Qigong practice influences human physiology. Drawing from clinical trials and experimental studies, it explains how coordinated breathing, posture, movement, and focused attention interact with the body’s regulatory systems.

The book explores research on:

• autonomic nervous system regulation
• cardiovascular function and blood pressure
• respiratory mechanics and lung capacity
• sleep quality and recovery
• inflammatory and immune signaling
• brain function and neural plasticity
• cognitive performance and mental health

Rather than presenting Qigong through mystical language, The Science of Medical Qigong approaches the subject through physiology, neuroscience, and clinical research, offering a clear explanation of how regular practice can influence the coordination and harmony of the body’s systems.

Available now in print and Kindle formats.



Click here to get your copy on Amazon

Purchase

Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that blends slow, gentle movements, controlled breathing, and focused mental attention. Often called meditative movement and grouped with Tai Chi, it comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine. The goal is to cultivate and balance Qi, or vital life energy, through three key regulations: body posture and movement, breat…

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Qigong combines gentle movements, breathwork, and focused attention or meditation. Often described as “moving meditation,” it has roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Modern neuroscience is increasingly validating its benefits for brain health, particularly in cognitive function, relaxation, neuroplasticity, and mood regulation. Multiple randomized co…

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This publication explores the intersection of Qigong, Daoism, Chinese medicine, neuroscience, and modern physiology. The goal is not simply to preserve traditional ideas, but to understand how ancient systems of self-cultivation relate to the nervous system, the body, attention, emotional regulation, and long-term health.

Over the past several years, Jade Dragon has grown into a large archive of educational essays, scientific research reviews, podcast episodes, and reflections on contemplative practice. If you are new here, this page will help you find some of the best places to begin.

Understanding Qigong Through Modern Science

One of the central themes of Jade Dragon is exploring how traditional practices can be understood through modern physiology and neuroscience.

Recommended starting points:

• Autonomic Regulation: The Hidden Reason Qigong Helps Blood Pressure, Sleep, and Stress

• Improving Your Brain Health: Breathing and Cerebrospinal Fluid

• Qigong and Blood Sugar

• Qigong and Chronic/Congestive Heart Failure

• Daoist Breathwork: How Ancient Techniques Regulate the Nervous System

Baduanjin, Yi Jin Jing, and Classical Qigong Systems

These articles explore some of the most well-known traditional Qigong systems and the research surrounding them.

Recommended articles:

• What Twenty Years of Research Reveal About Baduanjin Qigong

• What Happens When People Practice Baduanjin for 16 weeks

• The Historical Connection Between Yi Jin Jing and Shaolin

• Damo and the Question of Qigong Origins in China

Research Reviews

Jade Dragon regularly publishes plain-language reviews of peer-reviewed scientific research related to Qigong, meditation, nervous system regulation, chronic illness, and mind-body practice.

Popular peer-reviewed scientific analysis include:

• Immune Changes After Qigong Practice in Fibromyalgia

• Qigong, Body-Awareness and Mental Health

• Six Healing Sounds Qigong Improves Lung Function in COPD Patients: Evidence from 40 Clinical Trials

• Baduanjin Qigong and Recovery After Heart Attack

• What Happens in the Brain During Meditation and Qigong?

Daoism, Meditation, and Self-Cultivation

Beyond physiology and neuroscience, Jade Dragon also explores the philosophical and contemplative dimensions of practice.

Recommended topics:

• What are the Three Dan Tian?

• Wuji Standing: Learning to Let Structure Support You in Qigong

• Exploring the Depths of Tranquility: A Comprehensive History of Meditation

• Daoist simplicity

• What Zen/Chan Buddhism Teaches

About David Hastings Lloyd

David Hastings Lloyd, R.Ac, R.TCMP, D.Ac, is a practitioner, educator, author, and researcher with more than 24 years of clinical experience in Chinese medicine and over thirty years of study in Qigong and contemplative practice.

Throughout his career, David has worked as a peer reviewer for Oxford University Press and served as a scientific advisor for one of the largest herbal medicine companies in Asia. He also teaches continuing education courses to healthcare professionals around the world, with a focus on integrating neuroscience, acupuncture, Qigong, pain science, and nervous system regulation into modern clinical practice.

Whether you are a practitioner, student, healthcare professional, or simply someone interested in understanding these traditions more deeply, welcome.

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We’ve all heard the advice: breathe deep, pull in more oxygen, and feel better. But what if the real key isn’t flooding your lungs with air? What if it’s learning to comfortably hold onto a bit more carbon dioxide?

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