The extraordinary significance of breath and internal energy circulation in attaining heightened forms of awareness that are conducive to grasping hidden philosophical and spiritual truths is a hallmark feature of several East Asian schools of religion and philosophy. Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism in China, Korea, and Japan generally share the fundamental belief that a semi-psychic, semi-physical vital energy that courses through the body’s invisible interior channels can connect humans with their environment. The learning of the purposeful manipulation and focused circulation of the qi (or ki) energy is purported to assist one in obtaining better health and higher wisdom, too. This chapter elucidates the interconnections of the characteristic notions of self-cultivation in East Asian philosophies as they relate to various breathing methods and energy work in meditation and beyond. To begin with, the traditional Indian system of pranayama is elucidated in connection with its emphasis on detaching the self from the body and developing a keener sense of focus that allows one’s consciousness to delve deeper into the true nature of reality. Following this, various modes of breath cultivation in the Tibetan tradition are examined in terms of their significance for meditation practices and the quest for attaining enlightenment. Next, ancient Indian Buddhist, medieval Korean Seon, as well as modern-day Japanese Zen applications of breath techniques are detailed. Finally, the role of breath cultivation with regard to Daoist internal alchemy is addressed.