What is Daoist Yoga?
Daoist yoga, or Dao Yin, is an ancient practice that incorporates stretching postures similar to hatha yoga to develop internal energy, or chi, by utilizing relaxation principles found in practices like qigong and tai chi. Instead of using force, it reduces stress and stimulates chi flow through relaxation. Traditionally, hatha yoga prepares the body for meditation by opening energy centers, and Daoist yoga shares this goal. However, their approach differs in that Daoist yoga's primary focus is on allowing the body to release and open at the layer of the nerves by inducing a relaxed state with the breath, rather than by stretching muscle and facia as is done in most hatha yoga postures. ​ Daoist yoga serves not only as a preparation for meditation but also as a beneficial practice on its own. It oxygenates the body, bringing fresh blood to less-activated areas, including the internal organs and spine. Since the postures require no muscular effort, they enable practitioners to go deeper internally and focus on feeling and freeing blocked energy using presence and breathing techniques. This practice enhances awareness of the body's internal state and provides tools to improve posture and circulation. ​ The continuous, circular breathwork in Daoist yoga induces a parasympathetic nervous state, fostering a profound sense of calm and relaxation. This state reduces cortisol levels, which can boost the immune system. Since the nerves are releasing, layers of muscle and fascial tension will naturally follow suit. Many practitioners find that this is a quick and effective way to increase flexibility. There are 16 different "sets" of this form of Daoist Yoga, with each one focusing on a specific nei-gong, or internal skill, which help practitioners develop their body for physical healing, meditation and spiritual awakening. This set focuses on the nei-gong of breathing.
Where is this from?
This is an ancient practice that comes from a Daoist water lineage of China. It was brought to the West by Lineage Master B.K. Frantzis, founder of Energy Arts, whom I learned it from in 2017. It was introduced to my teacher by Master Liu Hung Chieh during his apprenticeship in Beijing, China as a technique to cultivate the 16 neigong, or internal principles, of Taoism and to assist with mediation.
What to expect from a class
We start with qigong warm-up exercises to wake up the nerves and generate a sense of chi flow in the body. Then, we learn to breathe in a circular, continuous manner to deepen our internal awareness. We practice postures that isolate each organ, allowing us to feel what it is to breathe with our liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, diaphragm, and abdomen, and eventually the spine, as practitioners deepen their skill and ability to control the movement of breath inside the body. Once we have cultivated a full-body breath, we move into the postures, using our breath to release deeper into each one. We may also incorporate some standing and moving qigong, to integrate the breath into other practice states. Students often feel a very noticeable sense of internal opening as well as a visual change in posture after just one session!