Breathing

A gateway to a healthy body and mind

At birth the breath is the first affirmation of life, and the last exhalation indicates death. During the lifetime in between, breathing never ceases; it constantly channels life force into the body, largely determining the quality of life, energy levels, state of mind and consciousness. The breath fuels one's very existence; while it is possible to go without water and food for a substantial time, it is impossible to live for more than a few minutes without breathing.

The breath is a gateway to acquiring a healthy body and mind. Effective breathing boosts physical power and stamina, and because the breath, physiology, mind and emotions are interactive, control of the breath facilitates mental clarity, stability and a higher degree of awareness – all important aspects of self-empowerment.

Effective breathing accentuates the role of good posture, exercise and mobility, as it is subject to correct posture – deep, whole-trunk breathing requires the unobstructed expansion and contraction of the abdomen and chest. Good breathing habits tone the same muscle groups that support correct positioning of the skeletal structure; this is also important to ensure effective mobility of the trunk. Abdominal muscle tone also provides support for the organs, so that they do not sag from their correct anatomic and energy-meridian positions.

The constant wave action of the midriff also has a massaging, energizing effect on the colon, assisting its workings as an organ to absorb nutrients and eliminate waste. Intense movement-action of the diaphragm also acts as an important mechanism to stimulate the metabolism. The efficient intake of oxygen delivers fresh energy to the entire system, and keeps the mind alert. Each breath is directly linked to the distribution of the life force through the body; each exhalation cleanses the body.

Gentle rhythmic breathing, as opposed to uneven, short or rasping breaths, has a peaceful effect on the individual's being. Such breathing, accompanied by the occasional sigh or long and slow exhalation, acts as a natural stress-releasing agent. Deep, slow, powerful breathing is therefore at once purifying, warming, energizing and calming; a system thus supported may glow with a radiant quality of inner well-being.

Inefficient breathing

Inefficient breathing is to be found at the root of a range of health problems. Efficient breathing is one of the most neglected aspects of health. Although it is a natural function, it has to be learned, and, as with any other form of exercise, breathing must be practiced to be performed successfully.

Many sedentary individuals may never notice the lack of proper breathing until falling ill with a respiratory illness or when deprived of breathing altogether, running out of breath because of tiredness – almost everyone can attest to the burning lungs and being out of breath during intense physical activity. But poor breathing not only affects the ability to perform non-sedentary activities – inefficient breathing compromises every act of life.

All body systems are severely compromised by poor breathing habits. The circulatory-, endocrine- and nervous-, digestive- and immune digestive systems are directly affected by the breath, posture and mobility. Anxiety, asthma and a host of other respiratory problems may be alleviated with effective breathing techniques. Persons with poor respiration are less likely to ward off colds, and tend to be more vulnerable to illnesses such as bronchitis or pneumonia. The endocrine system, by virtue of its relation to the nervous system, is compromised not only by any of the above ailments, but also by the lack of subtle movement-massage and change of pressure that efficient whole-trunk deep breathing has on the production and flow of hormones.

Because the breath and mood have a significant effect on one another, anxiety and stress disorders are closely associated with tightness of the chest and shallow breathing. Ragged, uneven breathing is associated with panic, fear and anger, all states of mind that may be avoided or controlled by deep, calm breathing. Calm breathing strengthens the immune system because it calms the nervous system, while stress negatively affects the nerves, which leads to strain on the immune system. A lack of mental clarity, fogginess or lack of concentration may be brought on or aggravated by inefficient breathing.

Improving breathing

Health of the respiratory system and quality of breathing are largely influenced by a variety of factors. These range from genetic disposition to environmental conditions. Sports and recreational activities and occupational factors at the workplace determines mood, posture and mobility, influencing lung capacity, tempo, type and use of the breath. Willpower and consciousness have a massive influence on posture and breathing, rampant tension and excessive emotions or mental activity may suppress proper breathing.

Reinstating an efficient breathing technique will contribute much to restore the natural state of health by vastly improving the ability to harness the energizing and cleansing power of the breath. Awareness of the mental and emotional factors that contribute to poor breathing will offer relief from the same mental and emotional patterns that cause a chain of health-debilitating conditions. Once awareness of the importance of efficient breathing has been reinstated it is relatively easy to remedy, or at least improve, the areas of difficulty. Acute awareness plays the biggest role in correcting wrong habits; when poor breathing patterns have been identified and replaced with more effective breathing practices, the body will return to its natural breathing rhythms – and enjoy a tremendous and sustainable boost to well-being.

When the positive influence of the efficient breath is felt on mood and on the body, and visible signs of increased vigour and resilience noticed, breathing will become a natural sanctuary. Experiencing the energizing power of breath will avoid viewing breathing exercises as a chore or a negative experience of enforced discipline and instead become a meaningful and pleasurable reflex action. The breath will then take its rightful place at the epicentre of being alive, and the beauty of life will flower.

See the Five Keys Slimming and Weight-loss page with videos and more information.

Principles of efficient breathing

UNDERSTANDING AND FEELING THE IMPACT OF THE BREATH ON THE WHOLE BEING – THE BODY AS WELL AS THE MIND.

Recognizing the value of proper breathing is the first step towards identifying incorrect breathing habits, and the first step towards attaining wholesome breathing. Victims of poor breathing usually don’t realize that their breath is inefficient, and the root cause of their lack of clarity, concentration and vitality.

CORRECT POSTURE

The natural integration of breath and posture ensures their holistic development: learning to breathe teaches awareness of posture, and good posture accommodates healthy breathing. The practice of these two basic cornerstones starts with the lengthening of the spine.

BREATHING THROUGH THE NOSE

Yoga breathing, both the in- and exhalations, are, with some exceptions, exclusively through the nostrils, the mouth closed. Nostril breathing purifies and warms the inhaled air when it passes through the nasal passages, thus protecting the lungs and its internal systems from dry air, harsh air temperatures and rapidly varying climatic influences, especially under extreme circumstances such as moving between air-conditioned environments and natural air. Nostril breathing helps to achieve a deeper, slower breath as the nasal passages assists quality inhalation. This is because its particular arrangement of tunnels, curves and bones acts like a turbine that propels the inhaled air much deeper into the lungs than breathing through the mouth does. Breathing through the mouth is one of the main causes of poor breath performance, as it often causes the stomach to extend forward without lifting the chest on the inhalation when the abdominal muscle tone is poor. A condition of slack abdominal wall muscle (paunch) is often a result of habitually breathing out through the mouth. Because the inhalation is only as good as the exhalation, the poor exhalation causes further weakened inhalation.

A CHESTY SOUND

Effective breathing is characterized by a chesty sound (called the Ujjiaja breath in yoga) as opposed to the sniff of a quick and shallow breath, or the harsh gasp of the open mouth. It is achieved by gently restricting the flow of air by a slight drop of the chin, which in turn is done by raising the crown and lengthening the back of the neck. The resulting audibility of the breath helps the breather to monitor the length and smoothness of the breath. Listening to the breath guides and draws the practitioner deep into the practice of breathing when he/she listens attentively to the sound of each breath drawn. Such breathing sounds like the rush of the wind in trees, or the pounding of the surf on the beach, and these forest, air and oceanic sound images bring about a deep connection with some of the most powerful elements on the planet, and to the ever moving forces of the spirit of life. Listening to chest breathing that is medium sized, evenly paced, smoothly executed and rhythmical character can be a great focussing tool during exercise, meditation, deep relaxation and everyday stress release.

USING THE WHOLE TRUNK

Deep breathing opens the chest and lungs sufficiently for fresh air to flow in, and to effectively expel the stale air from the lungs. The muscle of the abdominal area, especially the diaphragm, is central to this action. Deep breathing conveys large quantities of air and its life force to the lungs, and keeps it in long enough for the body to absorb the inhaled oxygen and atmospheric energy efficiently, thus charging the body with vital energy.

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