In a world where stress, uncertainty, and fear seem to be at an all-time high, ancient healing practices like Qigong and Yoga offer timeless tools to navigate emotional turbulence. One of the most powerful and accessible tools we have is our breath — a bridge between body and mind, between chaos and calm, between fear and peace.
Both Qigong and Yoga honor this sacred power of breath. In Qigong, breath is linked to “qi” (or “chi”), the vital life force energy that animates all living things. In Yoga, breath is referred to as “prana”, the same essential life force. While the systems may differ in origin and structure, both recognize breath as the vehicle for energy flow, emotional balance, and inner transformation.
Breath As Life Force: Chi And Prana
Chi and prana are not just esoteric concepts from ancient texts. They refer to the same universal energy that flows through everything — through your cells, your thoughts, your emotions, and the natural world. And how do we access and influence this energy? Through breath.
Breath is more than oxygen exchange; it is a powerful energetic and neurological regulator. When we breathe consciously — slowing down the inhale and extending the exhale— we engage the vagus nerve, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” state. This shift alone can alchemize fear into calm, anxiety into clarity, and overwhelm into grounded presence.
We are living through historically challenging times. Whether from global uncertainty, social unrest, or personal struggles, emotional energy like fear and worry is on the rise. If left unchecked, these feelings can get stuck in the body, manifesting as chronic stress, fatigue, depression, or even physical illness.
But we are not helpless. Through intentional breath practices rooted in Qigong and Yoga, we can skillfully work with these emotions, allowing them to move through us instead of getting trapped within us. We don’t have to be at the mercy of our anxiety. We can transform it — moment by moment, breath by breath.
Here are three powerful and practical exercises — two from Qigong, one from Yoga — that you can use any time you’re feeling worried, anxious, or overwhelmed.
1. Qigong Practice: “I Am” Breath Meditation With Your Own Healing Mantra
INSTRUCTIONS
Sit comfortably on a mat or chair. Feel your connection to the earth beneath you, and imagine your crown reaching to the sky. Sit tall with a straight spine, aligned between heaven and earth.
Begin by breathing in through your nose for a count of 4, and out through your mouth for a count of 6. After a few cycles, allow the breath to settle into a natural rhythm, maintaining a longer exhale than inhale.
Once relaxed, choose three affirming words or phrases that resonate with your heart. This will help counter your worry and promote ease.
Examples: “I am grounded, calm, and relaxed.” “I am resilient, at peace, and safe.” Repeat these words silently in your mind with each breath cycle. Let your whole being feel the truth of these words. Imagine the breath washing these affirmations through your body, settling into your cells, heart, and mind.
WHY IT WORKS
The breath activates the relaxation response, while the repeated affirmations rewire your mindset and soothe your emotional state. This practice quiets the monkey mind, fosters self-trust, and builds resilience.
Let this phrase become your mental anchor throughout the day. Repeat it any time you notice anxious or negative thinking arising. You are not your fear. You are the sky — everything else is just weather.
2. Yogic Practice: Three-Part Yogic Breath with Hold and Soothing Sound
INSTRUCTIONS
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Inhale in three parts through the nose:
First, fill the belly.
Second, expand the rib cage.
Third, lift the upper chest.
At the top of the inhale with breath in upper chest, hold your breath gently for 3 seconds.
Exhale through the mouth with a long, slow “Shhhhhhhhh” sound. Make this sound as long and smooth as possible.
Repeat this cycle 5–7 times.
WHY IT WORKS
This practice combines breath control (“pranayama”), sound vibration, and gentle breath retention. The brief hold boosts acetylcholine production, a calming neurotransmitter. The long “shhh” activates the parasympathetic nervous system and signals safety to your brain.
Let this breath become a sanctuary you return to throughout the day. Each “shhhh” releases fear, each cycle brings you home to yourself. Peace is not outside you — it is a breath away.
3. Qigong Practice: Seated Shake Like a Tree and Sigh of Relief to Release Worry
INSTRUCTIONS
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Begin to lightly bounce your heels, letting the vibration move up through your body.
Gently shake your arms, shoulders, and hands, like you’re releasing tension and blocked energy off your limbs. Let your jaw soften and invite a little looseness into your body.
Inhale through your nose and exhale with a long, audible “Haaaaaa” as if releasing a sigh of relief.
As you sigh, silently or aloud affirm: “I release worry.” “I let go of fear.” “I am shedding what no longer serves me.”
Continue the shake and sigh pattern for 1–3 minutes.
WHY IT WORKS
This movement practice helps release stored tension from both the physical body and energetic field. The sigh acts as a reset button, while shaking stimulates circulation and dislodges stagnant emotional energy.
Use this when the weight of the world feels heavy. Shake it out. Sigh it out. Let your energy move freely again. You don’t have to carry it all — just breathe, release, and reset.
Integrate Breath Into Daily Life
Each of these practices is simple, yet deeply transformative. They can be used on their own, or integrated throughout your day, such as before a stressful meeting, upon waking or before bedtime, in the car during errands, or when doom-scrolling and overwhelmed by the news.
When practiced regularly, they rewire the nervous system for safety, clarity, and presence. Breath becomes your most loyal ally in these uncertain times.
Challenging times call for intentional practices that reconnect us with what is timeless — our breath, our inner light, our connection to life force energy. You are not powerless in the face of fear. You can alchemize anxiety into peace, transform worry into presence, and move through difficulty with grace.
Both Qigong and Yoga remind us that healing doesn’t always require dramatic action. Sometimes, it’s simply the next breath, the next moment of awareness, the next kind thought toward yourself.
Return to your breath. Return to your body. Return to peace. It’s always within you. In every moment, you get to choose.
Lynne Nicole Smith is the founder of Qigong Infused Yoga® and has been teaching for over 20 years. She offers fall and winter live online Qigong Infused Yoga trainings for holistic health practitioners, yoga teachers, therapists and individuals who love Yoga and are looking to dive deeper into Qigong. Qigong Infused Yoga® is a somatic and accessible approach that helps people with anxiety — supporting not only physical health, but emotional resilience during life’s challenges.
Find holistic Qigong practitioners in the Spirit of Change Online Directory.
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