|
|
|
 YOGA &
MEDITATION
My yoga teacher tells this story: when a child is born, the number
of breaths that the child will take in this life is predetermined;
once the child has used up all his breaths, he passes on from this
life to the next. Therefore, if you breathe more slowly, it will
take you longer to use up your allocated breaths and you will live a
longer life.
While this is clearly just a “story,” it expresses perfectly
something that scientific observation has now confirmed: if we can
learn to slow our breathing, we are healthier, more relaxed, more
creative and happier human beings. This is why meditation has become
known as a one of the most effective means of achieving
self-realization and even physical health in today’s stress-filled
environment. It can help us move into a state of higher
consciousness and change our lives for the better. We can manage
stress, improve mind-body awareness, and achieve a sense of
integration and wholeness through self-growth. This is the path to
enlightenment.
Breathing is one of the most profound secrets of life and the key to
universal consciousness. And yet, it is so simple, we take it for
granted. Food and water are not as essential to life as breathing.
Ask yourself how long you could survive without an inhalation, and
yet, when was the last time you paid conscious attention to your
breathing? Odds are you will need to think long and hard before you
can answer this question! Relaxation techniques are for the most
part based on regulating our breathing and can do much to bring us
into a state of wholeness, enlightenment, and happiness.
In yoga, breath is connected to life energy, or “prana”. It is the
breath of life that brings “prana” into our very beings. Long deep
breathing is the most fundamental yogic breathing technique. It can
be used in everyday situations to calm your mind, control your
emotions, help you think clearly and act effectively. Remember- the
slower you breathe the calmer your mind.
To practice long deep breathing, try this: Lie flat on your back. As
you gently press down on your abdomen, exhale every last bit of air
out of your body through your nose, keeping your mouth closed.
Inhale deeply through your nose and feel as though you are pulling
the breath down into your naval center. As the breath then starts to
fill the lungs, your diaphragm will expand and your abdomen will
move outward as if it were a balloon filling with air. Keep inhaling
until you have taken in as much air as your lungs can hold. Your
chest will be expanded. Exhale through your nose, emptying the lungs
completely and feeling the abdomen moving down. Continue to take
note of your breathing - observing how the abdomen moves up on the
intake and down on the exhale. Consciously attempt to breathe slowly
and deeply, feeling the breath going all the way down to the naval
and emptying the lungs completely on the exhale.
Notice as the breath slows down, the mind slows as well. Continue
for 3 minutes at first and gradually increase to 11 minutes. See how
peaceful and mentally clear you feel! Long deep breathing is a
veritable self-healing tool. Air is free. Be an oxygen hog! Practice
regularly and you will strengthen your immune system, balance your
central nervous system, cleanse your digestive system and add years
of health, vigor, inner peace, and joyfulness to your life!
Check out the CALENDAR for
upcoming events, workshops & retreats.
|
