How can a repetitively mundane and involuntary act of breathing possess the power of healing?
For over a decade (yup, I’ve been teaching for over 18 years) I’ve taught the importance of lateral breathing to improve posture, function and performance. Many years later, I’m taking my daughter to a meditation class to share the power of breath in order to manage life. In our first class the instructor tells us to write on a paper why we were there, an intention, for this practice of breathing…meditating. I wrote down PEACE. After learning audio and visual techniques to strengthen my breathe awareness, breathing has taken on even more power with the intention to heal and guide the mind, find peace and clarity.
When we experience pain, relief, grief, despair, exultation and peace we take breaths as if we’ve stopped breathing. Many of us do stop breathing. Our breaths become shallow, reserved or maybe even frantic. Strange, considering how when we finally take in that lung expanding inhale and exhale, the mind body tension gets released. During these times we need it most we often fail to utilize its power to help us.
Therefore it seems worth it to me to give this simple movement, this act of conscious awareness, to breathe for a moment everyday. Invest in finding strength in your breathe for those stressful moments you’ll need it, or fill otherwise seemingly wasteful moments spent in traffic traveling home, waiting in line, listening to a lecture, washing dishes with a moment of peace dedicated to the healing power of your breath.
Got five minutes? Experience lateral breathing with me! Check out my video: https://youtu.be/ybeE17oQ4N0
