Mary’s Quick Tip for Autumn:
Hold Your Breath - Deliberately!
Breathing for our bodies, our minds, and our lives
Have you ever gasped for air when you were startled? Have you ever held your breath when you were afraid or angry? Breathing is essential for survival, and when we hold our breath, the communication doorway to our sub-conscious minds opens wide. Our brilliant minds know that we cannot survive more than a very few minutes without fresh oxygen, and the sub-conscious mind wants to know what is going on when there is no fresh oxygen coming in. When we hold our breath, we lock in thoughts of whatever is on our mind at the time. When normal breathing resumes, those thoughts sometimes get stuck in the sub-conscious mind.
We can use this as a deliberate tool for wellness by holding our breath while we think about people and things that we really love and appreciate!
What do YOU love and appreciate at this moment?
Stop reading right now, invest a moment in yourself, hold your breath, and think about it!
Was that fun???
Would you like to know more about breathing? Check out our feature article below:
Breathing for Vibrant Living
Feature Article by Mary Gates
Breathing provides oxygen to every cell throughout your body, and deep breathing raises levels of blood oxygen. Higher levels of blood oxygen speed healing, stimulate the digestive process, improve fitness, and bring greater mental clarity. Alternative health icon Dr. Andrew Weil says: "If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly."
Breathing Detoxifies the Body
Breathing serves two primary purposes:
1. Providing essential oxygen TO every cell in the body,
AND
2. Removing toxins FROM every cell in the body (I used to think breathing was a simple exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide… HA!) Now I know that respiration is one of the most effective means to eliminate excess acid, environmental pollutants, and all kinds of other toxins, including the harmful acids produced in the body by negative thoughts.
Breathing incorrectly can produce tension, exhaustion and vocal strain, interfere with athletic activity and encourage aches and illnesses," says Nancy Zi, breathing expert and author of the book and video set, "The Art of Breathing."
Dennis Lewis, who leads breathing awareness workshops and is the author of The Tao of Natural Breathing and Free Your Breath, Free Your Life: How Conscious Breathing Can Relieve Stress, Increase Vitality, and Help You Live More Fully observes: "Most of us take our breathing for granted. The great Taoist sage Chuang Tzu says that most of us breathe from our throats, and that real human beings breathe from their heels."
Natural Breathing is Part of our Original Programming
We were born knowing how to breathe properly – watch the natural breathing of a young, sleeping baby. Their little tummies lift and fall just like the bellies of little frogs. Their tiny bodies would never grow so quickly or heal so rapidly if they kept the air exchange in the tops of their lungs the way many adults do.
So... What happens? Where does our breathing go wrong?
When we experience emotional trauma such as anger or sadness we often hold our breath. When we feel physical pain, we want as little movement as possible, which can also result in restricted breathing. Over time, we lose the innate instinct to breathe deeply into the lower core of the abdomen.
Many of us have been culturally conditioned to “suck it in” and breathe into the upper chest for a nice, buxom profile. This is a bunch of baloney! Our bodies will respond beautifully when we breathe naturally, with our bellies moving and our chests steady. Over time, the health benefits of correct breathing will lead to a naturally slimmer profile, as excess toxins are released from fat cells through respiration.
According to Zi, “The lungs should just be a container; when we use them as a pump, they become overburdened and the muscles get tight; everything is restricted." She observes that breathing problems such as asthma often develop as a result of such constriction.
Practice - it's Fun and Easy to Create a New Habit
Working with your breath for brief periods each day will bring a new sense of internal balance and
overall sense of well-being. Here are some tips:
1. Start with Correct Posture
Notice your posture, and sit or stand up straight. Slouching shoulders restrict the lung space; tight, high shoulders indicate tight muscles in the lung and chest area. Relax your shoulders further each time you exhale, while keeping them nice and straight. Don’t let your chest collapse downward as you exhale… stay tall as you release the air. This is important, and will make the next inhalation easier and more natural because the next breath doesn’t have to help re-inflate a collapsed chest. If you tend to slouch, try turning your palms forward and lightly bringing your arms back while you let them hang freely.
2. Observe Your Current Pattern
Sit or stand comfortably and place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your upper abdomen below your ribs. Breathe as you normally do for several breaths and observe the movement of your hands. The most beneficial breathing technique will create movement only from the hand on your abdomen, and the upper hand will remain still. Ask a friend to watch as you look straight ahead, or watch yourself in the mirror if you are unsure what your hands are doing (keep your head upright in order to maintain correct posture). Your shoulders should remain level.
3. Think About Toast
Did she say Toast??? Yes! Think of the air you bring into your lungs as creamy, soft butter. The surface tissue in the top of your lungs is like moist bread and the surface tissue in the bottom of your lungs is like hot, dry toast. Butter spreads over the moist bread but melts and soaks easily into the dry toast. If the air you bring into your lungs only reaches the top of your lungs, very little healing power is transmitted to the rest of your body. The lower area of the lungs is much more vascular and will optimize the available oxygen for the other tissues in your body. The lower tissues will also release many more toxins during the exchange of air.
An Exercise for Relaxation: 4-Square Breathing
Here’s a fun breathing exercise for relaxation, mental focus, and overall lung health:
1. Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down, and close your eyes.
2. Slowly inhale while you count to 4
3. Hold your breath for a count of 4
4. Slowly exhale while you count to 4
5. Hold your lungs empty for a count of 4
Sustain this pattern for as long as you comfortably can. If you are new to breathing exercises, try it for one minute. As you gain experience, you can gradually work up to several minutes at a time. You can slow your breathing further by counting up to 6, 8, 10, or even higher! If a count of 4 is difficult for you at first, try counting to 3, 2, or even 1.
Be Gentle with Yourself
Your mind may naturally wander throughout this exercise. If you notice that your thoughts are on anything other than the numerical count of your breathing, gently bring your thoughts back to the simple count. Calming the mind takes practice, especially if you have been breathing incorrectly for several years. Allow yourself to drift into sleep if that seems irresistible.
Think of your diaphragm as a bellows. Instead of “taking” a breath, feel yourself “accepting” a breath. Imagine that the breath is a gift of love from the universe, and allow yourself to bask in its peace.
Give yourself time each day
to notice and feel gratitude
for the simple act
of breathing…
you are worth it,
and your body will thank you!
For more about natural breathing and to learn the 10 secrets for better breathing from breathing expert Dennis Lewis, visit http://www.authentic-breathing.com/ten_secrets.htm
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