I've been following Thanissaro's model of breath energy manipulation for the better part of a year now. The general outlook is very similar to qigong, and there is an overview in this talk.

Since listening to that talk a couple of days ago, I have been doing a meditation where roughly speaking I see the body as represented in the breath energy, and see the energy dissipating into space. I do this on both the in-breath and the out-breath.

This seems harmless and like a great way to attend to nirodha-dhatu. Curious about anyone else's experience with this kind of manipulation. It definitely goes against the grain not to fabricate any kind of formful breath energy, so critical feedback is welcome. Feels right, though.

Howdy 5B,
coincidentally i recently listened to this talk and found a great correspondence to my own take on meditation on the breath which was, in part, influenced by a mantra-based instruction to be found on the AYPSite.org website.

i find this take on in and out breathing to be just another way of expressing the "breath-body" as exemplified in the anapanasati sutta. your point about fabrication is an interesting one and for me thats where the rubber meets the road. that point where volition steers the experience is where it stops being passsive observation and is fertile place for insight pour moi.

love your posts btw.

tom

Thanks, Tom. Where should I ask over there? The pranayama forum?