History
Back beyond the dark Ages, I feel sure that there
were people who knew and understood the importance of breathing technique. That
the knowledge of the control of breath has a therapeutic effect on people, must
have been at one time common knowledge. Over the years, due to invasion, the
imposition of other cultures and several different religious changes, this
information became lost. In due time, the of care people's ill's, started to be
given to individuals in the tribes and communities. These people would be
regarded today as Shamans or Witch Doctors and these people held great sway
with their populations. They combined their religion with their curing
practices and in most cases, dominated their patients by fear.
Doctors.
As time progressed, in the West, we developed
reliance on people who became known simply as Doctors. These people did not
know, or want to know, about breathing technique but wanted to use the
'Scientific' methods, which involve the use of chemicals, bloodletting and many
other horrific methods of 'cure'. Any dissension from their brutal methods,
would not only be frowned on but also 'crushed', as any deviation would
probably mean, being accused of Witchcraft. They were governed not only by
their very limited scientific knowledge but also by the power of the Church. With
breathing technique I dare say, that the religions of the West would have
frowned on any such sort of practice and certainly in the Middle Ages such
practices would have been regarded as sorcery, probably punishable by death. No
small wonder, that very few traces of such techniques were left existing in
Europe.
The Increase of Knowledge.
It wasn't
until the beginning of the 20th century, that people in Europe were allowed to
study other things that had been devised in other cultures. It wasn't until the
end of the Second World War that this information started to be reintroduced to
the West, by learning of the practices imported from the East. There were
several methods, Yoga probably being the most famous. Since that time other
practices, such as Buddhism, Zen Meditation and many other types have been
introduced to the West. Most of these types involved the use of breathing with
meditation, posture forms and religions, of various persuasions. All these
forms have also been subjected to the strong forces of religion and the
imposition of very strict and narrow boundaries.
Western Analysis.
The West analysed some of the systems on their
'scientific' basis and many eminent people, rapidly came to the opinion, that a
great deal of the information was nonsense. This is quite understandable
because many of the things, that were suggested, could have no scientific
basis, at that time. Most of the advances in Education and Science had been
made in Europe and the East was very much behind in knowledge in the areas of
Science. The great many of the things that are suggested, by the systems, have
an element of truth in them. The trouble is that these truths were bound up
with superstitions and imposed religious thinking. It is no small wonder that
the European Institutions rejected this information almost totally.
The Science Gap.
The problem with the scientific approach, is that
the Science has to be able to analyse and quantify. The West's main scientific
knowledge only covers that of the microscopic and the macroscopic. This means
we supposedly know a lot about small things, down to atoms, and we know a lot
about big things, such as engines, to the universe. What we don't know about is
the part of science, which lies between these two extremes and it is this that
makes analysing the information in the Eastern systems so difficult.
Going Forwards, Looking Back.
So in the past, breathing technique has been almost
always tied together, or associated with, meditation and religion. Any
involvement in breathing technique has usually been 'sold' on the basis of it
being a mystical practice. This of course, is nonsense.
Breathing Practice.
In the other
sections there is information appertaining only to breathing technique. All
meditation, religion, brain washing and trickery are removed from these techniques,
leaving the study of breathing technique to be practised on it's own. These
techniques are practised, so that the individual can, largely, do away with the
reliance on all parts of the medical profession, be they conventional or
unconventional medicine. They are designed to give each practicer the ability
to 'Self Heal'.
