The Tsa Lung Breathing Workout is a ancient practice in the Tibetan Buddhist and Bon traditions, focusing on the flow of the energy of the body, energy you can feel moving around. Metaphorically speaking if you conduct this yoga it really feels as if the purification of the body’s energy channels (tsa) happens, via the regulation and expansion of the breath (lung), and the cultivation of awareness. You feel shivers, tingling and heat, mostly first happening in the hands (at least in my experience).

This practice integrates breath control, physical movements, and meditative visualization, aiming to balance and harmonize the flow of subtle energy (prana or lung) in the body, ultimately supporting spiritual development and physical health. Basically you fall in a special breath pattern, and each movement of the body fits with a special breath technique. Sometimes extremely deep and in phases, sometimes very shallow and quick.

Meaning of Tsa and Lung, the Tibetan terminology

• Tsa (Channels): The term tsa refers to the subtle energy channels in the body, analogous to nadis in Indian yogic traditions. These channels are pathways through which life energy flows. Tibetan teachings often describe three primary channels:
  • The central channel (uma), which runs along the spine.
  • The left and right channels (roma and kyangma), which spiral around the central channel.
• Lung (Wind or Prana): Lung is the life force or vital wind that moves through the tsa. It governs both physical processes and mental activity. Imbalances or blockages in the flow of lung can lead to physical illness, emotional disturbances, and spiritual stagnation.

The Tsa Lung practices are designed to open, cleanse, and balance these channels, allowing for a free flow of energy and preparing the practitioner for deeper meditative states. The words are different but the system is very much equal to the Indian system of nadis etc.

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Origins and Lineage: Bon and Tantra

The Tsa Lung Breathing Workout is rooted in ancient Tibetan traditions and is commonly associated with:

1. The Bon Tradition:
   • Bon, the indigenous spiritual tradition of Tibet, incorporates Tsa Lung practices in its meditative and yogic systems.
   • These exercises are part of Bon’s nine-fold path, specifically under the category of “Internal Practices” (Trul Khor), combining breathwork, physical movement, and visualization.
2. Tibetan Buddhist Tantra:
   • Tsa Lung practices are also integral to Vajrayana Buddhism, particularly within the Six Yogas of Naropa and the Anuttara Yoga Tantra. They are preparatory practices for advanced meditations, including Tummo (inner heat) and Dzogchen (Great Perfection). The heat development is very clear to feel if you tune into these yoga expressions.

The exercises are often taught as preliminary practices to purify the body and mind, enabling practitioners to experience deeper meditative absorption and the realization of luminous awareness. Please not during the movements also the light behind the closed eyes. These yoga asanas going hand in hand with the breath induce phosphenes. Mostly spiralling patterns of blue, golden en red-purple lights (at least in my experience).

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Core Components of Tsa Lung

1. Breath Regulation:
   • Controlled breathing is at the heart of the practice. The breath is used to direct and cleanse the flow of lung through the tsa, dissolving blockages and restoring harmony.
   • Retention (kumbhaka) is often employed, allowing the lung to build and intensify its transformative effect. And breathing in via phases (see demonstration video).
2. Physical Movements:
   • Specific postures and movements accompany the breathing, designed to target particular channels and energy centers (chakras). These movements stretch and align the subtle body, enabling the free flow of energy.
3. Visualization:
   • Practitioners often visualize light or energy entering the body with the breath and dissolving impurities. The imagery typically focuses on the central channel and its connection to universal energy.
4. Chakra Activation:
   • The five main energy centers or chakras are activated in Tsa Lung:
     • Crown (top of the head)
     • Throat
     • Heart
     • Navel
     • Secret chakra (below the navel)
   • These centers correspond to specific aspects of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

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The Tsa Lung Sequence

While variations exist, a typical Tsa Lung practice includes:

1. Preparation:
   • Relaxing the body and establishing a meditative posture.
   • Setting an intention for purification and connection.
2. Breathing and Retention:
   • Inhaling deeply and holding the breath while focusing on specific chakras.
   • Exhaling with a release of tension and visualization of impurities dissolving.
3. Movement:
   • Combining breathwork with gentle, dynamic movements to stimulate the energy flow in targeted areas.
4. Completion:
   • Resting in stillness to absorb the effects of the practice and allow the body-mind to integrate the energetic shifts.

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Benefits of Tsa Lung

1. Physical Health:
   • Improves lung capacity, circulation, and overall vitality.
   • Releases tension in the body and supports detoxification.
2. Emotional Balance:
   • Calms the mind and alleviates stress by harmonizing the flow of lung.
   • Reduces emotional reactivity by opening blocked channels.
3. Spiritual Awakening:
   • Prepares the practitioner for deeper meditative states by intensifying the presence.
   • Enhances clarity of awareness and creating connection to the luminous nature of mind.
4. Energetic Alignment:
   • Opens the central channel, allowing for the upward flow of energy and connection to the ultimate reality which manifests as phosphenes and clear light and insight.

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Modern Applications

Tsa Lung practices have found relevance beyond their traditional settings:

• Mindfulness and Stress Relief: The integration of breath, movement, and visualization makes Tsa Lung an effective tool for managing stress and promoting mental clarity.
• Yoga Therapy: Elements of Tsa Lung have influenced contemporary practices aimed at balancing the nervous system and improving well-being.
• Preparation for Meditation: Many practitioners use Tsa Lung as a warm-up for seated meditation, as it clears energetic blockages and enhances focus. But it is much more than only warm-up, it is a profound meditation once you let yourself fall in it!

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Estreme spiritual breathwork this Tsa Lung!

The Tsa Lung Breathing Workout is a profound practice that bridges the physical, energetic, and spiritual dimensions of the human experience. By combining breath control, movement, and visualization, it offers a pathway to purify the channels, balance the vital winds, and awaken the luminous nature of the mind. Rooted in the rich traditions of Bon and Tibetan Buddhism, Tsa Lung serves as a gateway to deeper meditation and a tool for holistic well-being, embodying the timeless wisdom of the body, breath, and mind as interconnected elements of the spiritual journey.

the first video is a bit mystical and not good for an instruction video, but nice inspirational.

The video hereunder is extremely authentic, this is a very dynamic variety:

Here an extreme form wth included various movements with the belly which you will not be able to do lol:

Now if you start experimenting with this yoga, be mild for yourself and start listening to your own inner Guru to feel what your body wants to do. There are many ways to execute this special form of yoga, as you can see if you compare the movies.

And we close with a beautiful variant: