The Embryonic Breathing Classic

[Le Professeur]

The Taixi Jing, literally Classic of Embryonic Breathing, is one of the essential writings of the Taoist tradition on the cultivation of internal breath. It is linked to the long line of texts on deep breathing, meditation and internal alchemy developed from the Warring States period to the Tang and Song dynasties. Its exact date is difficult to establish due to successive rewritings, but its content and style place it in the sphere of texts formed between the end of antiquity and the early centuries of the development of Taoist alchemical schools.

In the Taoist tradition, embryonic breathing occupies a unique place: it represents a return to the original state, that of the foetus before birth, where life is not yet separated from the internal movement of breath. The Taixi Jing is one of the first texts to offer a systematic description of this state, indicating how the practitioner can return to a form of internal breathing that no longer depends on visible inhalations and exhalations. The text states that the foetus does not breathe through the mouth or nose, but through an energetic exchange that takes place entirely within, and that rediscovering this breathing is tantamount to rediscovering the very root of life.

The Taixi Jing develops a vision of breath in which mind and energy are never separate. It teaches that breath follows mind and mind follows breath. When one is scattered, so is the other; when one remains, so does the other. The union of mind and breath becomes the central condition for embryonic breathing to appear. The text emphasises the danger of a restless or distracted mind, as this prevents energy from gathering in the centre and dissipates what must be preserved to nourish inner life.

The notion of returning to the centre is one of the major themes of the Taixi Jing. The text describes the lower abdomen as the place where latent breath must gather and where what it calls the “mysterious embryo” must form, a metaphor for the accomplished union between mind and energy. The work explains that when this union stabilises, an internal breath begins to move without requiring the visible activity of the lungs. This breath is gentle, silent and continuous. At a certain stage, there seems to be no distinction between inhalation and exhalation. The text specifies that this is not a voluntary suspension of breath, but a refinement that leads to breathing so fine that it becomes elusive.

The Taixi Jing also discusses the physical effects of this transformation. When the internal breath is established, the body opens up, the joints are freed, and stagnation dissipates. The text states that the transformations are not limited to improved well-being, but profoundly affect the structure of the body. They include strengthening of the bone marrow, improved energy circulation in the tendons, increased clarity of mind and, in the long term, a form of rejuvenation or stabilisation of vitality. It is a vision in which the breath becomes the driving force of inner transformation.

One of the most important aspects of Taixi Jing is its emphasis on the moral and emotional conduct of the practitioner. The text emphasises that embryonic breathing cannot develop if desires, anger and emotional turmoil dominate the mind. It explains that longevity does not depend on an isolated technique, but on the ability to keep the mind clear, simple and stable. Through this requirement, the Taixi Jing is fully in line with the Taoist tradition, where inner discipline and the unification of the heart-mind with the breath are inseparable from any method of transformation.

The style of the text is concise, symbolic and often metaphorical. It describes internal realities that are difficult to convey in everyday language, which has led to the addition of commentaries over the centuries to clarify its meaning. These commentaries emphasise, in particular, the need not to practise in a forced manner, never to interrupt the breath voluntarily, and not to confuse the subtlety of the embryonic breath with air retention. The text offers very precise instructions on mental attitude, the gentleness of the breath, and the role of saliva, considered a precious substance in internal regeneration.

The Taixi Jing still occupies a central place in the understanding of internal Taoism today. It is one of the clearest testimonies to the way in which the ancient Taoists conceived of the transformation of breath as a path back to the depths of nature. It is also a founding text for internal alchemy, as it shows that the transformation of the body does not begin with external action, but with the discreet reorganisation of breath and spirit at the heart of the belly. The work is neither a simplistic manual nor an abstract treatise: it is an inner map, a guide to finding the point where life unites with itself.

Embryonic breathing is a method that returns the breath and mind to their most original state. It originates from the observation of the foetus, which breathes neither through the nose nor the mouth, but through a silent and continuous internal circulation. This breathing without apparent movement is considered to be the expression of a deep breath, free from all agitation, still intact and undispersed by desires and thoughts.

The practice begins with a return to calm. The mind gathers itself, settles into the body and abandons external concerns. When the mind ceases to be scattered, the breath regulates itself, becoming softer and finer. The practitioner gradually learns to recognise a breath that no longer depends on the visible movement of the chest, but emanates from the centre of the body.

At the heart of this method is the idea that the mind and the breath are not separate. When the mind is agitated, the breath becomes unstable. When the mind remains still, the breath stabilises, calms down and then becomes internalised. As this tranquillity deepens, the breath becomes even more refined, until it becomes almost imperceptible, ‘as if it existed and as if it did not exist’. It is in this subtlety that the possibility of internal breathing, comparable to that of a foetus, opens up.

The energy centre below the navel then becomes the natural place where the breath gathers. This is not a conscious effort: the breath settles there when the mind is peaceful. The union of a calm mind and gathered breath forms the basis of embryonic breathing. When this harmony is established, the body returns to a deeper and quieter mode of functioning. The breath ceases to be wasted externally, energy is conserved, and inner vitality flourishes.

This practice is not simply a breathing technique but a way of restoring the fundamental state of life. By returning to an internal, subtle and continuous breath, the practitioner rediscovers what sustains life even before birth. It is a return to the source of energy, a movement of silent reconstruction where the essential comes together to nourish the body, calm the mind and open the way to inner transformation.

Embryonic breathing is established in a calm body, a clear mind and a peaceful breath. The preparation consists of creating the conditions for a deep calm where the interior can open up and function without tension. The practitioner sits upright, with a stable spine, their gaze naturally closed behind their eyelids, and allows the surface of the mind to settle like water settling. In this state, the breath softens by itself, becomes regular and more discreet.

It is essential to remove all external distractions. The room must be quiet, with no draughts or disturbances, so that nothing disperses the still fragile breath. The body surrenders to the posture without tension, as if letting a light weight descend to the centre of the abdomen. Inner silence begins with the restraint of the senses, the gentle closing of the eyes and listening to the breath as it becomes simpler.

Certain practices prepare this state even more finely. Lightly tapping the back of the head awakens inner attention, clarifies perception and calms residual thoughts. The movement of the tongue inside the mouth stimulates the production of pure, fresh saliva, which is perceived as a sign that the body is beginning to attune to a deeper rhythm. When saliva becomes abundant, it is swallowed gently and guided down to the lower abdomen as a first descent of the breath.

In this preparation, nothing is forced. The breath must remain completely simple, without deliberate lengthening or artificial retention. Breathing naturally slows down as the mind calms. The practitioner does not seek to control, but to let go. The essential role is to keep the heart-mind still, without attaching it to a thought, a sensation or a desire. The stillness of the heart allows the emergence of a subtle breath that belongs more to the centre of the body than to the lungs.

This preparation is not a set of technical gestures, but a softening of the whole being. The body becomes a calm place, the breath becomes a thin thread, and the mind allows itself to be unified. When this foundation is in place, external breathing begins to fade away, and a deeper, quieter internal movement arises spontaneously. It is this movement that opens the door to embryonic breathing.

When the preparation has made the body stable and the mind silent, a subtle phenomenon may occur: the visible breath diminishes while a more intimate breath begins to be felt. This breath no longer belongs to the movements of the chest. It seems to arise from the depths of the belly, like a slight swaying, a discreet pulsation, a warm and gathered presence. External breathing is now only a barely perceptible trickle, and the essence of vital movement shifts to the inside.

Internal breathing always appears as a consequence of mental stillness. When the heart-mind remains calm, the breath ceases to disperse to the periphery of the body and returns to the centre. There is then no more tension in the breath, no clear difference between inhalation and exhalation, but a peaceful continuity, an unbroken flow. This state is not created by willpower, but by the gradual reduction of all effort.

The lower abdomen becomes the place where this subtle breath gathers and settles. It requires no voluntary contraction, no hard focus. It is the gentleness of the mind that naturally guides the breath to this deep centre. When the breath gathers in this way, a feeling of gentle fullness appears. The centre warms slightly and seems to become denser, as if the interior were taking shape around a silent core.

In this phase, the saliva produced during the preparation becomes a valuable vehicle. Swallowed slowly, it accompanies the descent of the breath and reinforces the sensation of internal unification. As one swallows, the throat emits a barely audible sound, evidence of the path that the internal breath takes to descend. This descent occurs without forced intention and deepens the calm of the lower abdomen.

When the mind remains calm, the internal breath becomes stronger. This breath is neither drawn in by inhalation nor pushed out by exhalation. It no longer depends on the chest, but on an autonomous vital movement that flows from the centre. The practitioner then experiences a breath similar to that of a foetus: an intimate, continuous, silent breath that seems neither to enter nor to exit, but to unfold from within.

This transformation marks a threshold. The internal breath becomes the main breath and the external breath loses its guiding role. The centre of the lower abdomen, nourished by saliva and animated by this deep breathing, begins to function as the living focus of the method. When this centre comes to life, a feeling of unity settles between the mind and the breath. Only then can embryonic breathing truly begin to develop.

When the internal breath begins to circulate, the transformation of the body is gradual and silent. This breath no longer follows the usual rhythm of the lungs: it appears as a gentle force that spreads from within, passes through the flesh, moistens the organs and descends to the lower abdomen. As the mind remains at peace, this internal circulation becomes more stable and reorganises the body from within.

Under the action of this breath, tensions are released one by one. The joints become more flexible, the skin breathes more freely, the face loses its rigidity, and the chest becomes more open. The body changes not through physical effort, but through the dissolution of internal blockages. The subtle breath passes through the tissues like a warm wave that gradually undoes the accumulated hardness.

The abdomen strengthens without voluntary contraction. It becomes a living space that welcomes internal breathing. There is no longer any sensation of heavy inhalation or forced exhalation; only a slight expansion and contraction, like a natural movement of the vital centre. This movement draws inwards what was previously scattered. The body gathers itself, refocuses, and vitality becomes more intense.

The internal fluid system also changes. Saliva becomes more abundant, purer, and sweeter. It no longer comes only from the ordinary glands but from a general state of internal cohesion. Swallowed gently, it nourishes the descent of the breath, moistens the organs, and rebalances the digestive centre. The body returns to a state where internal water supports the vital fire rather than extinguishing or dispersing it.

The different parts of the body respond to this harmonisation. The muscles relax and regain their lost elasticity. The tendons become more supple, the bones seem denser, and the hair gains strength. Blood circulates better, organs function more freely, and congestion dissipates. When internal breathing is truly established, it changes the body from the root, as if a slow and profound reconstruction were taking place.

However, the most important transformation is not external. It lies in the stability of the heart-mind. Emotions calm down, automatic reactions lose their intensity, and the mind ceases to be driven by external impressions. This calm is not the result of effort but of internal maturation: when breath and mind become one, the inner movement becomes constant and mental turmoil dissolves.

Embryonic breathing is not a one-off exercise, but a process that permeates the entire body. It allows us to rediscover a form of inner youth, a capacity for regeneration, and a deeper clarity. The changes occur slowly and surely, driven by a breath that has become the master of inner life. As this breath unfolds, it restores the body's natural balance and matures the vital force that supports transformation.

When embryonic breathing begins to act on the subtle body, certain methods of breath regulation allow for more precise harmonisation of the internal organs. By modulating slightly, the breath can soothe heat, dispel blockages, support weakened organs or restore the balance of vital functions. These modulations are neither forced nor noisy: they prolong the state of calm and gentleness characteristic of internal breathing.

The heart regenerates when the heat that agitates it is dispersed. Slow, relaxed breathing through the mouth refreshes the chest and softens the throat. Internal dryness calms down, agitation diminishes, excessive heat leaves the head, and the mind becomes clear again. This relaxation allows the heart to regain its role as an inner guide, without tension or excitement.

The digestive system regains its fluidity when the stomach ceases to be tense. Continuous, effortless exhalation relaxes the diaphragm, lightens the stomach area and clears congestion. The feeling of heaviness dissolves, the centre of the body breathes more freely and the spleen resumes its supporting function, preventing stagnation that hinders internal circulation.

The Liver calms down when the heat rising to the head is dispersed. A long breath through the mouth brings down excess energy and soothes the eye area, which is often affected by Liver overflow. Vision clears, lateral tensions in the body relax, and the mind regains a calm and stable orientation.

The kidneys are strengthened when the breath becomes deep and warm without being heavy. A gentle breath directed towards the lower body warms the loins and knees. Vital energy rises, fatigue disappears, and posture becomes more stable. The lower abdomen becomes denser and more alive, allowing the embryonic breath to settle permanently.

Finally, the system that connects the three levels of the body regains its coherence when a light, almost joyful breath opens up the internal passages. Diffuse stagnations are released, the chest is freed, the abdomen relaxes, and the lower body is illuminated. When these passages regain their harmony, the entire internal breath flows unimpeded, as if the three levels of the body were responding to each other once again.

These modulations of the breath are not separate from the embryonic breath. They are an expression of it, a development of it. They prolong its gentleness, reinforce its power of transformation and refine internal listening. Their role is to help the body regain its natural balance so that deep breathing can be maintained effortlessly, whatever the circumstances. When the body becomes receptive and the mind remains peaceful, this harmonisation happens by itself, with a simplicity that reveals the true nature of the method.
At our School, we offer a specific course on the nine shamanic sounds that come from these texts. This course is available.

Embryonic breathing can only develop in a context that protects and nourishes it. Subtle breathing requires a calm environment, a preserved body and a moderate heart. This discipline is not austere; it is a natural continuation of the practice. When the breath becomes fine, any external disturbance disturbs it, any internal agitation weakens it. It then becomes necessary to organise one's lifestyle in such a way as to support this inner delicacy.

A quiet place, protected from draughts, allows the body to remain relaxed. A serene room, where nothing disturbs the senses, preserves the continuity of the breath. Sudden wind, excessive noise and the hustle and bustle of public places disperse internal energy before it has had time to settle. Embryonic breathing flourishes in a climate of harmony, and it is up to the practitioner to create this harmony around them.

The relationship with food must also be transformed. The body seeking subtle breath no longer tolerates heavy foods that hinder circulation in the stomach. Foods that are too fatty or too fragrant weigh down the organs, disturb the breath and hinder the production of pure saliva. Raw or overly cold foods slow down the internal fire, while overly strong flavours irritate or disperse energy. Simplicity becomes the best support: clear, light, easily digestible meals, eaten in peace.

The heart-mind must be preserved with the same delicacy. Excessive desires, sudden passions, anger, and the incessant pursuit of gain or recognition exhaust the vital essence. Every violent emotion is a loss of breath. True calm can only arise in a heart that limits inner turmoil and refuses to be carried away by the resonances of the world. This withdrawal is not a rejection of life, but a way of preserving its purity.

The health of the body also depends on what we choose to ingest. Spoiled food, heavy meats and impure substances create internal obstructions that prevent the subtle breath from circulating. As the practice deepens, the practitioner intuitively discovers what nourishes their centre and what weakens it. Embryonic breathing then becomes the criterion for discernment: if a food disturbs the breath, it no longer has a place.

Vigilance is also internal. Every swallow must be conscious; every entry of food into the stomach must be monitored with the attention of a guardian. It is not a matter of control, but of being present. Embryonic breathing requires a continuity of presence that goes beyond moments of formal meditation and extends to everyday life. It permeates the way one gets up, walks, eats, speaks and even rests.

When this discipline is followed without rigidity, the internal breath becomes stable. It is no longer disturbed by external conditions or weakened by daily choices. It finds favourable ground where it can deepen its silent work of transformation. This way of life is not a constraint, but a space that allows the being to breathe from its roots and preserve the light that arises from inner calm.

As embryonic breathing progresses, the body gradually learns to live in a more subtle way. It no longer depends entirely on external nourishment, as the breath, saliva and internal essence begin to sustain vitality. Taoist fasting is not voluntary deprivation or an imposed ordeal; it is the expression of a body purifying itself and a breath becoming more complete. As internal breathing intensifies, the need for raw food diminishes and the body naturally seeks lightness.

This process takes place effortlessly. The body begins by eliminating the stagnant energies that weighed it down. Internal tensions dissolve, eating habits unravel, compulsions lose their power. This withdrawal of appetites is not an act of will but a profound adjustment. The internal breath gradually replaces external stimulants and saliva becomes a subtle food that nourishes the vital centre.

The saliva produced in states of deep calm acquires a different quality. More fluid, softer, more abundant, it becomes a vehicle for the essence. Swallowed slowly, it descends to the lower abdomen, where it nourishes the root of vitality. Through this simple gesture, the practitioner transforms an ordinary substance into an internal support that regenerates and stabilises the centre. When the belly is empty, this saliva is often enough to appease the feeling of hunger and maintain energy without resorting to coarse food.

Taoist fasting thus develops without violence. The body is never forced into abstinence; it would even be content with very little if the internal breath is strong enough. The reduction in food becomes a natural consequence and not a constraint. It is then enough to listen to one's real needs, to eat when necessary, and, when hunger reappears, to welcome this moment as an opportunity to bring saliva back to the centre. The internal breath is strengthened each time the descent is made with tranquillity.

During this process, thoughts related to food are also transformed. The desire for taste diminishes, and the search for external pleasures becomes less urgent. What matters is no longer the stimulation of the palate, but the continuity of inner calm. Fasting becomes a way of cultivating clarity and strengthening the unity between mind and breath. The energy saved by giving up excesses is deposited in the centre, where it nourishes internal transformation.

The practitioner discovers that health does not depend on a constant supply of food, but on the balance of the breath and the protection of the essence. By cultivating calm, swallowing saliva, and allowing the internal breath to descend steadily, they experience a subtle joy, a deeper clarity, and a feeling of lightness and harmony. This way of nourishing oneself is no longer directed outward; it comes from an internal movement that gradually deepens.

Thus, embryonic breathing becomes not only a breathing method, but also a way of life. Gentle fasting, transformed saliva, protection of the essence, and stability of the centre together form a solid foundation for restoring deep vitality. The body regains a form of inner youthfulness and the heart-mind is illuminated with a light that nothing external can match.

When embryonic breathing becomes stable, a slow and profound transformation takes place. This change does not happen in a single movement, but through a succession of inner maturations that respond to each other. The internal breath acts as a force that passes through the layers of the body, nourishes the marrow, softens the tendons, strengthens the bones and harmonises blood circulation. None of this is immediately visible, but it gradually manifests itself in the way the body holds itself, moves and regenerates.

As the breath deepens, the wear and tear of time seems to diminish. The body regains a freshness that does not depend on outward appearance but on the quality of inner vitality. The joints strengthen, the muscles cease to contract unnecessarily, the skin breathes better, the hair becomes more vibrant, and the posture straightens effortlessly. All this comes from the fact that energy is no longer dispersed: it returns to the centre, refines itself, thickens, and then spreads again through the tissues.

Internal breathing also transforms the experience of time. Emotional fluctuations lose their intensity and mental habits dissolve. The heart-mind ceases to be agitated by stimuli, regains its natural foundation, and remains in a state of clarity for longer. This inner calm allows the practitioner to feel what is happening deep within, beyond immediate thoughts and sensations. The breath then becomes a continuous presence, like a discreet light illuminating the body from within.

These transformations occur in cycles. They appear, stabilise, and then give way to another level of maturation. With each cycle, an aspect of the body seems to be renewed. The breath becomes fuller inside, vital functions more harmonious, circulation more fluid. Ageing loses its rigidity, and the chronic fatigue that accompanied existence gradually dissipates. This process is long, but it is sure for those who persevere.

When the internal breath reaches a degree of fullness, the feeling of heaviness in daily life disappears. The body stands with ease, the mind remains peaceful, and ordinary tasks are performed without tension. A kind of natural clarity accompanies every movement. The practitioner no longer forces their energy to act: they follow the internal flow that unfolds freely. Embryonic breathing then becomes a way of being, no longer an exercise.

This internal maturation is described as a return to essential vitality, as if an ancient freshness, long hidden, were returning to irrigate the body. It is a form of inner youth that has nothing to do with age, but with the quality of the breath and the mind. When this transformation takes hold, the body and heart-mind seem to have rediscovered the original rhythm that birth had interrupted.

When embryonic breathing has become fully alive, it ceases to be a method and becomes a way of inhabiting one's own body. The subtle breath that once seemed distant and difficult to perceive now becomes the practitioner's natural breathing. This breath no longer belongs to the duality of inhalation and exhalation: it resides at the heart of the body, present as a gentle pulsation, a silent continuity that sustains the entire existence.

At this stage, the centre of the lower abdomen has become a stable point of support. The breath settles there effortlessly, the mind returns there spontaneously, and vitality flows in all directions from this inner space. The body breathes from its source rather than from the surface. This mode of breathing restores a form of unity between mind and energy, as if the usual divisions between mind, flesh and breath had lost their consistency.

The practitioner then discovers that much suffering came from mental agitation, scattered desires, bodily tensions and wasted energy. By settling in the centre, the breath calms everything that was unnecessarily agitated. The heart-mind becomes clear, simple and calm. The body responds effortlessly, movements become natural, and life seems less heavy and less constrained. A form of profound lightness manifests itself, not in the outside world, but in the way of being.

When this calm is sufficiently established, embryonic breathing acts as an inner light that purifies what remained dark or confused. Old emotional habits lose their power, thoughts cease to disturb the heart, desires dissolve into a tranquillity that depends on nothing. The inner breath supports the mind, the mind illuminates the breath, and the unity of the two becomes evident. This is what tradition calls the return to the original breath.

In this stability, inner transformation can go much further. The vital centre becomes like a place of maturation where a deep clarity is condensed, comparable to a luminous seed that one carries within oneself. This clarity is neither imaginary nor produced by thought: it is the natural result of the harmony between the inner breath and the heart-mind. It appears as a quiet presence, sometimes even as a discreet joy that seems to spring from a rediscovered ancient source.

Embryonic breathing then accomplishes what it exists for: to restore the being to its simplest and most intimate nature. It restores the body's ability to renew itself, the mind's ability to remain, and energy's ability to gather. It becomes the basis of a stable inner life, a way of being that no longer depends on circumstances but on rediscovered depth.

Once this stage is reached, the practice is no longer interrupted. It continues in walking, standing, resting, and daily tasks. The internal breath accompanies every movement and supports every experience. It becomes the thread that connects the body, the heart, and the whole of life. It is in this silent continuity that the true fulfilment of embryonic breathing is found, a path that gathers, clarifies, and opens the being to its own deep nature.

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