Understanding common Dàoist & Yogic Approaches to Breathing

Breathing is something we do automatically, yet ancient traditions have developed sophisticated methods to harness its power for bodily energy, emotional fortitude, mental clarity, overall health of the being, and spiritual growth. Two major approaches stand out in their widespread use and effectiveness: the Dàoist method of inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, and the Yogic practice of breathing entirely through the nose. While both systems aim to improve well-being, they take remarkably different paths to achieve their goals.

The Fundamental Difference

The Dàoist approach emphasizes purification and directed release of energy. When you inhale through your nose, you’re believed to be drawing in pure Qì (vital life energy) from the heavenly realm accessible to all life – the Sky’s creative energy. The mouth exhale serves a crucial purpose: it allows for a more forceful, complete expulsion of what Dàoists call “turbid Qì” – stale energy, toxins, excess heat, and harmful emotions that have accumulated in your system. This breathing pattern often accompanies dynamic movements and is particularly useful in practices requiring powerful exhalation.

The Yogic method, in contrast, focuses on regulation, control, and conservation of energy. In this system, the nose is considered the optimal organ for both absorbing and managing प्राण, Prāṇa, the Yogic term for the flow of life’s forces through this world. By both inhaling and exhaling through the nostrils – which have openings notably narrower than the trachea – you give their breathing a natural challenge to the free flow of breath. The narrower path slows the breath, promoting greater control while conserving both moisture and warmth. This approach also allows your body to recirculate beneficial gases like nitric oxide (NO), which plays important roles in oxygen uptake and blood vessel function.

How your Body Responds

The physiological effects of these two methods reveal interesting trade-offs. When you exhale through your mouth as in the Dàoist approach, you can dissipate heat more rapidly during vigorous activity and achieve faster and more voluminous exhalations when needed. However, this method also dries your mouth and throat more quickly and minimizes or bypasses the beneficial recirculation of nitric oxide that occurs with nasal breathing. There’s also a higher risk of accidentally hyperventilating if you breathe too rapidly.

Nasal exhalation in the Yogic tradition maximizes the filtration, warming, and humidification of air entering your lungs. The natural resistance created by breathing through your nose inherently slows your breath, which can have profound calming effects. This method also conserves respiratory moisture more effectively. The downside is that it’s less effective for rapid cooling or creating those powerful purging sensations that some practices require, and it can become uncomfortable when you’re dealing with nasal congestion from, for example, colds or allergies.

Different Energetic Goals

The energetic philosophy behind each method reveals deeper purposes. Dàoist breathing focuses on drawing in pure, bright energy while actively expelling earthly toxins and stagnation. This creates a dynamic flow that prioritizes the movement and transformation of energy throughout your system. The emphasis is on cleansing and renewal through active release.

Yogic breathing most often aims to absorb and conserve Prāṇa while balancing the subtle energy channels called नाड़ी, Nāḍīs, particularly the Idā and Pingala channels that represent cooling and heating energies respectively. Rather than expelling energy, this method focuses on internal integration and balance, keeping beneficial energy circulating within your system rather than releasing it externally.

Control and Sensation

Practicing these two methods offers a notably and perhaps dramatically different experience. Mouth exhalation offers a strong and direct sensation of release and relief of both psycho-emotional and chest pressure that often feels deeply cleansing. Many beginners find it easier to learn how to exhale fully using this method because the sensation is more obvious and accessible. However, it generally offers less fine control over the rate and smoothness of your breath compared to nasal breathing.

Nasal exhalation creates inherent resistance that promotes greater control, smoothness, and slowness of breath – qualities that are foundational for the advanced breathing practices called Prāṇayama in Yoga. This method favors the development of subtle internal awareness, helping you become more sensitive to energy flow and internal sensations. The trade-off is that achieving truly smooth, quiet, controlled nasal breaths requires more practice, and the sensation of release can feel less pronounced, especially when you’re beginning.

Impact on your Nervous System

Both methods can be calming, but they affect your nervous system differently. The Dàoist approach can certainly promote relaxation, but the potential for larger breaths and the emphasis on active release may have a less direct impact on deep relaxation compared to slow nasal breathing. The calming effect depends heavily on how you apply the technique and your intention while practicing.

The slower, controlled nature of nasal breathing, especially when combined with techniques like उज्जायी, Ujjāyī (a Yogic breathing method that creates a soft sound), is highly effective at stimulating your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the “rest and digest” branch of your nervous system that promotes deep relaxation, focus, and healing. The consistent, gentle resistance of nasal breathing seems to send clear signals to your body that it’s safe to relax.

When to Use Each Method

Context matters enormously in choosing which breathing method to employ. The Dàoist nose-in, mouth-out approach shines in dynamic practices like Qìgōng or Tàijíquán sequences. Both of these exercises are often specifically aimed at purging or releasing stagnant energy and/or expressing martial intentions that benefit by explosive breath. This Dàoist method of breath regulation is also well-suited to situations when you’re feeling overheated and need to cool down quickly. The forceful expulsion possible with mouth breathing makes it ideal for practices that emphasize clearing and cleansing.

The Yogic nose-in, nose-out method is typically the standard approach for Haṭha Yoga poses, formal breathing exercises called Prāṇayama, meditation, chanting, as well as related practices aimed at developing deep internal focus or energetic balance. This Yogic breathing is generally preferred for sustained practices or seated meditation because of its inherently calming and focusing effects. If your goal is to develop greater breath control or to cultivate subtle internal awareness, nasal breathing offers an ideal foundation.

Making the Choice

Understanding these differences allows you to make informed decisions about which breathing method might best serves your current needs. If you want to emphasize cleansing, release tension or heat, practice dynamically with movement, or need powerful exhalations for specific exercises, the Dàoist style of nose-in, mouth-out breathing will likely serve you better. If your goal is to cultivate breath control, achieve deep relaxation, develop internal focus, conserve energy and moisture, or maximize the physiological benefits of nasal breathing, then the Yogic approach of breathing entirely through your nose will likely be more beneficial.

With experience, you can skillfully use both methods, selecting the breathing pattern that best serve their specific intention for a particular practice or even different phases within a single session. Rather than viewing these as competing approaches, they can be seen as complementary tools in a student’s well-rounded practice. The key is understanding the rationale behind each method so you can apply them with greater awareness and effectiveness.

Both traditions offer profound wisdom about the power of conscious breathing. Whether you choose the dynamic purification of Dàoist breathing or the controlled conservation of Yogic breathing, you’re tapping into thousands of years of refined understanding about how breath can transform your physical health, mental state, and energetic well-being.

Bio

Stephen is a regular poetry contributor to IAMOnline magazine, the world’s premiere source for online martial study and has been inducted into numerous Halls of Fame including the Oriental Martial Arts College’s Hall of Honor as a “Bruce Lee Legend.” In fact, Inside Kung-Fu magazine calls Stephen Watson one of America’s 18 greatest Sifu (Kung Fu teacher) and named him to their prestigious Masters’ Forum. Stephen can be found at SomedayFarm.org as well as https://linktr.ee/SomedayFarm for all of the usual online spaces.

References and Further Reading

Scientific Studies on Yogic Breathing

• Naik, G.S., Gaur, G.S., & Pal, G.K. (2018). Effect of Modified Slow Breathing Exercise on Perceived Stress and Basal Cardiovascular Parameters. International Journal of Yoga, 11(1), 53-58.

• Sharma, V.K., Trakroo, M., Subramaniam, V., Rajajeyakumar, M., Bhavanani, A.B., & Sahai, A. (2013). Assessment of the Effects of Prāṇayama/Alternate Nostril Breathing on the Parasympathetic Nervous System in Young Adults. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 7(5), 821-823.

• Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., & Gemignani, A. (2018). How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, 353.

Traditional Dàoist Breathing Sources

• Classical texts like the Huangting Jing (Scripture of the Yellow Court, 3rd-4th century CE) describe contrasts between ordinary breathing and Dàoist methods

• 行氣, Xíngqì (circulating breath) practices documented in ancient Dàoist internal alchemy texts

• Modern interpretations found in works by practitioners like Yang, Jwing-Ming and Bruce Frantzis

Contemporary Practice Guides

Yogic Breathing:

• Iyengar, B.K.S. Light on Prāṇayama: The Yogic Art of Breathing

• Swami Rama. Science of Breath: A Practical Guide

• Miller, Richard. The iRest Program for Healing PTSD

Dàoist Breathing:

• Yang, Jwing-Ming. The Root of Chinese Qìgong

• Frantzis, Bruce. The Great Stillness: The Water Method of Taoist Meditation Series

• Cohen, Ken. The Way of Qìgong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing

Research Areas Worth Exploring

Recent scientific investigations have focused on the physiological mechanisms underlying both breathing traditions, including their effects on the autonomic nervous system, stress response, cardiovascular function, and neuroplasticity. Studies have demonstrated that Prāṇayama practices can influence neurocognitive abilities and show measurable effects on brain activity, while Qìgōng breathing patterns have been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting both deep calm and systemic relaxation.