Breathing is something we all do, for it supplies our bodies with vital oxygen, and for most it’s executed unconsciously. Breathing also has the power to alter consciousness and affect mental and emotional health. Most of us probably don’t know of the benefits associated with breathing properly or have forgotten to practice them regularly to receive those benefits.
When we inhale there are 2 types of respiration taking place with in the body. The first is the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the lungs and the other takes place on a cellular level, where energy is produced. But there is much more to breathing; breathing is a vehicle for many kinds of energy, from the biological level to more subtle energies referred to by Indian philosophy as prana, the vital life-force.
There is a correlation between breathing and health factors such as pain, stress and general well-being. When we breathe shallowly or erratically we don’t allow for full benefits of proper breathing, but once recognized, we can begin to influence our mental and emotional states through our breathing. Proper breathing, in general can be defined as conscious, smooth, rhythmic inhalation and exhalation.
The fact that our breathing can be both a conscious and an unconscious process should be a hint that it is a link between the conscious and unconscious aspects of our being. Ultimately any moment we can be aware of our breath we are also able to be more conscious and thus more involved in the integrated functions of body, mind and spirit. So conscious breathing then, can allow for the expansion of consciousness throughout our entire being.
There are numerous disciplines that focus on breathing and its life-altering benefits. Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, Breathwork and meditation are a few of the disciplines that use breathing to enhance life-force and chi energy movement throughout the body.
Breathing automatically (unconsciously) or controlling your breath (consciously) will generate an outcome on various levels of your being. Knowing the possibility exist for self-enhancement should be reason enough to take a deep breath!
Next article we’ll take a closer look at some of the techniques designed to ground, center, bring peace and heal you on one or more of your dimensions.
"Breathe deeply and gently through every cell of the body, laugh happily, and release the head of all worries and anxieties; and finally breathe in the blessing of love, hope and immortality that is flowing in the air and you will understand the meaning of human breath. " –Pundit Acharya-
Source: Breathing by Michael Sky
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