Let's talk about your breath...

(No, I don’t mean morning breath…though the Ayurvedic practice of using a tongue scraper each morning would help with that.)

What I mean is that autonomic physiological process of taking air into the lungs and then expelling it. Something we do each moment of every day, and for most of us it’s done simply and without much thought. For others, they may be painfully aware of the process due to illness. And still, there are those of us who make a daily practice of being aware of the breath, controlling or regulating it for benefit.

Fundamentally, there is no right or wrong way to breathe. However, there is ample evidence (like thousands of years worth) that there is tremendous benefit to becoming consciously aware of our breathing patterns, and even more benefit when we practice regulating them. The benefits of breathing practices are trickling down to fields of medicine and psychology, education, sports and fitness, and of course, spiritual practices.

Here is why: The air we breathe is a mixture of different gases - mostly nitrogen, then oxygen, then a small percent of other gases like carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Typically, the depth and rate of breathing are self-regulated through the nervous system in order to meet the purposes of breathing, which are to supply the fresh oxygen needed by the cells, and then to discharge the carbon dioxide accumulated in them. This process is called respiration and we need it in order to live. We can live a few days without water and more without food, but only minutes without oxygen. Oxygen gives our cells the energy (key word, hint…it will be referred to later) they need in order to carry out all bodily processes and functions. This is all done automatically though our autonomic nervous system. But certain qualities may affect the functioning of this process. Things like disease, structural abnormalities, pollution, stress and anxiety, depression, a dreaded pandemic, etc.… The good news is we have the ability to control the rate, depth and quality of breathing, which leads to a healthier life.

We’ve all heard or read about the benefits of meditation in overcoming illness and regulating our central nervous system, but the great Indian sage, Patanjali wrote in his Yoga Sutras that regular and prolonged practice of breath control is what makes the mind fit for concentration and all levels of meditation. In other words, when we control the breath, we control the mind and our vital life force energy, known in Sanskrit as prana. These three work in conjunction. For example, if you’re running around frantically attending to things you believe need to get done, your central nervous system is firing fast and furious. Your anxiety is elevated. Your heart rate is elevated. How is your breathing in these situations? In most cases, it is short and shallow. (Think panting.) From an efficiency standpoint, the rate, quality and depth of your breathing isn’t ideal for what you are requiring of yourself, of your body, of your cells. They’re hungry for more fuel, more oxygen. Remaining in prolonged states like this begins to affect the quality of your cells, your organs – including your brain and your bodily functions, not to mention your state of mind. If your breath is racing, your mind is racing.

The practice of regulating breath is called pranayama. Pranayama is a set of established breathing practices that literally transform your life in body, mind and spirit. It can heal you emotionally and physically, and it is the heart of my own personal health and practice. If I were blessed to share only one thing in life, I would choose to share the practice of pranayama. (Are you getting my point? It’s that good and that important!) Pranayama is powerful and thus is not something you just undertake without guidance. It has the ability to dramatically affect your central nervous system, so I can’t stress enough the importance of studying breathing practices with a master teacher. (In short, it can mess you up if you don’t know what you’re doing.) It is absolutely worth the time and effort however as it will transform you.

Let’s begin a little introductory study of it together: click here for more on the practice of pranayama.

If this is enough for you today, then I leave you with this:

“Disciplined breathing helps the mind to concentrate and enables the practitioner to attain robust health and longevity.” -BKS Iyengar