Breathing therapy is the art and science of cultivating Ki through correct breathing and circulating it through body & mind with soft rhythmic exercises. In Taoist therapy, Ki is literally referred to as 'medicine'. Patients under breathing therapy are advised to spend an hour or two each day 'sitting still doing nothing' as they practice breath control to balance their energies. If the patient is too weak to do the related calisthenics, or even sit up straight, the breathing is performed in reclining position, in which case the mind rather than the body 'moves energy' (yun-chee) to distribute it to the diseased areas. People often turn to Taoist healing arts as a last resort- out of sheer desperation to live. Prior to falling ill they never give Tao a thought. Owing to the life-and-death nature of their struggle, such patients usually manage to master the methods taught very quickly, and they have no trouble mustering sufficient discipline to sit still and breath deeply for up to eight hours per day. It is amazing what the body and mind are capable of when life is at stake. Such examples should, however, serve as lessons to ordinary healthy people who still claim they 'don't have time' to practice for Tao. Practicing a little deep breathing every day in one of the best preventatives against disease and premature death. Learning how to breath correctly on your deathbed is a bit late in the game for health and longevity.