THE ART OF BREATHING
The Breath Is Tunnel Vision,
Follow The Light To Reach The Stars.
Breathing
Humans possess one of the slowest breathing rates of all earthly species, after tortoises/alligators/elephants/etc. Our human bodies live for a considerably long time when compared to the rest of the animal kingdom. Yet do we really appreciate how fundamental respiration is to our vitality? We literally vacuum air from the outside, channel it deep within our lungs, extract the oxygen, then send it back out of our body. This process is so natural, most of us aren’t even aware of it 99% of the time. Like everything in life, there is a greater spiritual significance of this phenomenon.
While our body senses including eyes, ears, nose, etc. are all focused on the outside, the breath is our only way in. Therefore, physically speaking, our breath is the only bridge we have between the life force around us, to the life force within us. And figuratively speaking, like the ferryman helps the traveler cross from one side of the river to the other, our breath is what can help us cross our external sensory experiences over to the internal. When we panic or feel fear [internal], our breath rate increases [external]. When we are mentally peaceful [internal], our breath rate slows down [external]. If we were to reverse this trend, what do you think will happen? When we consciously slow our breath down or speed it up?
Conscious Breathing Works
A continuous, slow, natural breath reflects a calm mind. A calm mind reflects a peaceful inner environment. The opposite is also true. Yoga teaches how to improve one’s breathing, by slowing the breath during difficult postures to strengthen the mind-body connection.
Conscious actions ripple outwards to generate positive outcomes.
Positive outcomes return back to elevate you to a higher state of living.
As you practice regulating your breath, you will find your breathing pace naturally sustains slower pace in new stressful situations. This reflects a more relaxed state of mind, and manifests into intelligent reactions from you to the environment outside of you in those moments. Conscious actions ripple outwards to generate positive outcomes. Positive outcomes return back to elevate you to a higher state of living.
The last thing you want is for your outer environment to dictate how you feel on the inside and then act on the outside. So you’re consciously rejecting and changing it from the inside out.
Awareness Deepens
Awareness also deepens, and one doesn’t just feel the air entering & exiting the nose. Feel the air current run its course down the body to the lower abdomen, up and out. Feel the heating, cooling, and all the little pleasant and unpleasant oscillations that result throughout the body. These are the internal senses one must develop and come to understand at a very profound level. Every time we breathe, we are afforded a new opportunity to experience this.
As awareness grows on the inside, awareness grows on the outside. One will even start developing their internal physical senses, which will purposefully communicate right and wrong for the vitality of the individual. Perhaps one suddenly has the will to improve their diet. Maybe one has an easier time overcoming illness or lethargy. Could it be, one discovers what is causing the upset stomach or trauma. It’s not because one has become super-human. It is because their “inner” senses are speaking loudly to them!
Being human is a beautiful and complex gift. Our society and institutions don’t teach us how to understand ourselves nor our bodies. We don’t love ourselves enough for all the remarkable things we can do. Pay attention to your breathing, and to yourself. You are an incredible and unique, living breathing work of art.
Have you practiced conscious breathing?
Let me know in the comments below!
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