Ki Breathing tips

[prophet]

I also have had a little difficulty "relaxing into" ki breathing, particularly the "gap" between the breaths seems to sometimes cause a little tension in the hara. After repeated practise this feeling has all but disappeared.
I find ki breathing interesting because it is almost the opposite of another ki gathering meditational breath exercise I have been taught. Whereas ki breathing is loosely just a minute long breath, this exercise is basically just sitting in seiza and breathing normally until the breath and body calms down, and then in essence you almost stop breathing. I have been taught it is to be performed as if you are surviving on mere sips of air.
Although this might sound odd to folks who have only been taught the various Tohei style ki breathing exercises, the interesting part is the end result is almost identical.

[Saint Louis Ki Society]

It doesn't sound odd at all to me that the two breathing methods end up the same. A very common mistake in Ki Breathing is to try to do it. This is usually too tense, too hard, and not very calming. The opposite of this is to be too lax (different than relaxed). Sitting and allowing the breath to become completely calm while maintaining a clearly focused mind would likely result in almost identical breathing.

Afew years ago in Japan Tohei Sensei began a class on ki breathing by saying, "I will teach you how to breath", and then proceeding to do an out breath in the Ki breathing method. There was no sign of an inbreath at all, even though he started immediately after speaking. A student sitting next to me had a  watch with a stopwatch function on. A couple of seconds after Tohei Sensei began breathing out he started his stopwatch. Tohei Sensei finished his breath at 59 seconds, so it was over 60 seconds long. It looked and sounded (Tohei Sensei was wearing a microphone) completely calm and effortless. Here was a man well into his 80's who had major back surgery in 1990, has suffered a mild stroke, breathing long and calm, and yet with a powerful precision. I have been breathing softer ever since (well most of the time).

[Hunter]

Hey. I've been wondering a thing.. Does ki breath gather ki ? Or does it speed up the creation of ki ball ?
Or, does it only relax you and let you clear your mind better? Im just a newbie so...

[Saint Louis Ki Society]

Here's an interesting story about the benefits of breathing practice. from NPR reporter Allison Aubrey.
"Baby Steps To Better Breathing"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105931606&sc=emaf

And while you're at it, you can read this article about meditation.
"To Lower Blood Pressure, Open Up And Say 'Om' "
also by Allison Aubrey
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93796200