Breathing is a process that we rarely give any thought to. It occurs automatically without our awareness, yet at the same time it is something that most people do incorrectly. If breating is a spontaneous function of the body, how is it possible to do it incorrectly? The answer is that our respiratory muscles become lazy and cease to give optimum inhalation and exhalation.
Our whole life is entirely dependent on breathing. If we stop breathing, then life itself ceases in the body. Life and breath are intimately connected. Remember, when a person dies, we say that he expires, the same word used for breathing out or for breath leaving the lungs. We can survive for a few days without drinking water and a few weeks without taking food, but how long can the average person survive without drawing air into the lungs? In most cases no more than a few minutes. It is written in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the ancient text on yoga: "Life is the period between one breath and the next; a person who only half breathes, only half lives. He who breathes correctly acquires control of the whole being." The ancient yogis were fully aware of the importance of breath; no breath, no life; breath is life.
In yoga it is said that each person has a fixed number of breaths allocated to him. If one breathes slowly, then one will live longer, for the number of breaths is allocated for the lifetime; if one breathes rapidly, the given number of breaths are used up more quickly, resulting in a shorter life span. Whether you accept this idea or not, there is nevertheless a great deal of truth in it. A fast breathing rate is associated with tension, fear, worry, etc., which tends to lead to bad health, unhappiness, and, of course, a shorter life. A person who breathes slowly is relaxed, calm, and happy, which is conducive to longevity. A person who breathes quickly tends to inhale small volumes of air and exhale the same small volumes; this tends to allow
germs to accumulate in the lower areas of the lungs. Conversely, a person who breathes slowly tends to also breathe deeply and thereby fill the lungs to a greater depth. This helps to remove stagnant air from the lower reaches of the lungs and to destroy the breeding ground of germs and the germs themselves. There are other reasons that relate longevity to slow and deep breathing. For example, deep breathing imparts a good massage to the abdominal organs via the diaphragm. This is a natural and essential subsidiary function of the breathing process, which is often overlooked. The massage of the liver, stomach, etc. keeps them in good working order by expelling old, impure blood and allowing pure, oxygenated blood to replace it. Shallow breathing connected with fast breathing does not give the internal organs the massage they require. This can lead to various diseases. It, in itself, does not cause them but tends to encourage the onset in conjunction with other body factors. Shallow breathing also leads to insufficient oxygen in the body. This causes functional disturbances and illnesses concerned with circulatory, digestive, and nervous systems, since the efficiency of these systems is entirely dependent on healthy, well-nourished nerves and organs, which depend completely on oxygen for survival.
These are a few examples of how insufficient breathing can have negative repercussions in our lives, yet most people in the world do not breathe properly. The modern way of life has put us out of touch with the natural life rhythm. Our lives, our body functions, and our way of living are normally intended to be guided by rhythms in our internal and external surroundings. Our heartbeat and breathing rate harmonize with each other to give perfect cooperation under normal situations. Our lives are determined by the rhythms of the daily sunrise and sunset together with the moon and stars in more subtle ways.
There are a large number of factors that influence our breathing. For example, if we take a cold shower, automatically we must Yet most modern people rarely have a cold and breathe deeply; it is a conditioned response, or shower; instead, they take a hot bath. Ancient man had no choice. A cold brisk atmosphere encourages deep breathing, yet modern man spends as little time as possible in the open, preferring to hibernate in air-conditioned and heated apartments. As such, he loses touch with a natural stimulator of rhythmic breathing.
In comparison, the surroundings and way of life of modern man do not encourage correct breathing. It is for this reason that today most people have to learn how to breathe properly. They have to relearn what in fact is natural for them. They have to reactivate their nervous reflexes so that their breathing becomes normal and harmonious to life and health
To Learn Breathwork:
Here are the most frequently asked questions.
