“The True Man breathes with his heels; the common man breathes with his throat.”Zhuangzi · Zhuangzi · -300 · capitolul 6
Breathing below the throat anchors the body and makes words fewer and better.
The image of breathing is both literal and metaphorical: deep, abdominal breathing that sinks to the heels keeps a person anchored in the present, while shallow throat-level breathing accompanies anxiety and chatter. Someone who, before a major decision, stops and breathes deeply until the body settles is making exactly the move described here.
Why it matters A practical recipe for stress: before you answer or decide, drop your breath below the throat; an anchored body produces fewer and better words.