Finding BALANCE with Breathing & Breathwork
Being sensitive to the whole body, the yogi breathes in; being sensitive to the whole body, the yogi breathes out.
- The Buddha
As the first step towards achieving a BALANCED Life we should focus on our breath, and practice breathing and breathwork.
With that in mind, a few questions naturally arise. At least they did for me.
WHY?
Why breathwork? Why focus on the breath?
With a bit of research into why yogis, meditators, spiritual leaders and gurus always ask us to breathe and focus on our breath, I discovered some intriguing and thought-provoking answers.
Here are several reasons we focus on the breath:
1. It helps clear the mind and increases focus
We have more than 70,000 thoughts per day. Many, if not most, are repetitive thoughts that we’ve had before.
Focusing on our breathing helps reduce the constant dialogue and endless chatter in our heads, often called The Monkey Mind, and gives us clarity while reducing the clutter and constant barrage of repetitive thoughts in our minds.
2. Focusing on our breath helps manage stress and reduce anxiety
When we slow down and focus on breathing, several brain regions linked to emotion, attention, and body awareness are activated. The simple act of having a singular focus while breathing deeply, steadily, and deeply can have profound effects on our emotions, feelings, and overall well-being.
3. It’s FREE! We carry it with us at all times and can access it and focus on our breathing at any time!
You carry your breath with you everywhere you go! It doesn’t cost anything but time to slow down and focus on the breath. The breath can be an anchor point for deeper meditations, mindfulness, appreciation, and gratitude!
4. Our breath is quite literally our spirit.
Consider this list of words that we commonly use.
· Spirit
· Inspire (inspiration)
· Respire (respiration)
· Expire (expiration)
· Aspire (aspiration)
· Transpire (transpiration)
· Conspire
They ALL have a common root and etymology related to breath and breathing.
SPIRARE (Latin)
To blow or breathe into. To animate. To give life to. Spirit.
Spirit- Spirare (breath)
Inspire- In (into) + Spirare (breathe) = to breathe into.
Conspire- Con (together, with) + Spirare (breathe) = to breathe together. = Plot. Agree together.
Respire- Re (again) + Spirare (breathe) = to breathe again.
Expire- Ex (out) + Spirare (breathe) = to breath out. Exhale.
Aspire- Ad (to) + Spirare (breathe) = to breathe into. Have a goal or a dream.
Transpire- Trans (through) + Spirare (breathe) = to breathe through
Now that we know that our breath is quite literally our spirit, we can discover a whole new set of meanings when we use words like inspiration (to breathe life into), conspire & conspiracy (to breathe together, of the same spirit), respiration (to keep breathing or breathe again), expiration date (out of breath, no more spirit left), aspirations (to give spirit, and breathe life to something) such as a dream or a goal and when certain events have transpired (they have been completed, breathed through).
Knowing this also gives a whole new dimension to biblical and mythological passages when god in the form of Jehovah (Israel), Athena & Prometheus (Greek), and Tāne Mahuta (Maori) breathes into the mud and dust to give spirt, animate, and give life to create humans and all living things!
HOW?
HOW do we do it?
There are plenty of breathing techniques out there that will work. The secret is to find one that works for you and that you enjoy.
Wim Hof Technique
I personally like the Wim Hof Breathing technique.
For this one, you basically take 30 deep and slow breaths, and then on the final breath exhale, and with your lungs empty, hold it for as long as you can. After that take a deep breath with your lungs full and hold that breath for 15 seconds. Repeat 3–4 times.
This one works for me and reportedly has benefits ranging from boosting the immune system, reducing anxiety, clearing the mind, and giving a surge of awareness and energy.
It works for me!
Tutorial found here:
Square Breathing
Also known as Navy Seals breathing.
For this one you just follow this pattern:
1. Breathe in for 4 seconds.
2. Hold for 4 seconds.
3. Breathe out for 4 seconds.
4. Hold for 4 seconds.
Repeat 3–4 times or more!
This technique essentially makes a pattern like a box with equal sides.
I often trace the pattern with my fingers when I do it.
Tutorial found here:
Now that you know why doing breathwork is crucial to living a BALANCED life you can give it a try!
Look around. Find a breathing technique that works for you!
Incorporate it into your morning routine or daily habits and you’re good to go!
I recommend you try it outside in Nature. Beside a creek bank. Sitting on a tree stump. Hanging out under a shady tree or at the beach!
As long as you are sitting still and focusing on your breath you’ll be making progress!
ENJOY the peace of mind and sense of tranquility you’ll find while connecting with your spirit!
Learn more about living a BALANCED Life
SOURCES & FURTHER READING
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jn.00551.2017
