The second principle is one that is often discussed in most yoga classes, yet in a public studio setting, we rarely create enough time to deepen the conversation in order to bring clarity and understanding to the students. We know that the experience is far more valid than any information we might receive. Thus, this principle is of critical importance to every practitioner:
It's all about the breath.
To invite a deeper appreciation to and expand on the miraculous act of breathing, allow us to review the story of our birth. Consider the initial moments of exiting the birth canal. The very first breath - the one that expelled the liquid out of our lungs and brought in that original, primal breath of fresh air from outside of our mother's womb - this breath was physically pushed into our body due to the pressure difference between our inner cavity and the outer environment.
Note: If one has any interest in extrapolating the spiritual significance in scripture such as those found in the Bible, one might review Genesis 2:7 and find the following quote relevant to this discussion: "Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." It is not our wish to force individuals to believe in or follow any one doctrine - we are primarily interested in the cross-references that bring us to a greater understanding of the One truth, which is imminent in all beings. For this reason, this blog might serve as a sort of cross-pollination for many seekers so that they might compile the best of all teachings and synthesize them in the heart, where the Truth is known.
It is a story of physics - the breath, which had been pre-existent, was pushed into our baby lungs, and this was our first inhalation. The gift of breath was received in our first moments of life. Layering on the concept of the incoming breath as a gift, we may then perceive the exhalation as us giving back this breath, which was already given freely to us. Our desire for the individual's acceptance of this concept is rooted in the biomechanical functioning of our respiratory system. The muscles we use to breathe end up becoming tense and tight due to the mental imposition of "we must take a deep breath". The breath cannot be taken! In order for us to inhale deeply, we must relax our effort and allow for the breath to be full. This is a key take away for us in our practices, and it holds reference to the first principle here : "it's not WHAT it's HOW".
In addition to the gift of the breath, we must look at how the act of breathing alone affects our position in space. Our body is incapable of inhabiting any space without breath there with us. The act of respiration creates a shape change in the body, and as a result, this shape change can and should facilitate a rippling movement outward from the center. This center, which is the diaphragm, is the main engine of the body. The inhalation creates an expansion affect, causing extension in the spine, opening the body into a "YES!" position, and the exhalation creates a contracting affect, creating flexion in the spine, and closing the body into more of a "NO!" position. These are just the physical mechanics of what takes place with every breath, and the "YES" and "NO" analogy is connected to the psychosomatic process of our bodily posture as it relates to our mentality. Just think about it - when our mindset is one of a powerful, affirmative, "YES!" feeling state, our body will no doubt reflect this feeling. There is an emerging science for the relation between our thoughts and our bodily processes, but it is not our intention to discuss this here. If the reader wishes, they might search further, or simply consider the concepts outlined in this post thus far and apply their own logic, reason, and discernment to draw their own conclusions.
We can see that each breath carries a specific signature with it, and as a result, the entire mindbody system is influenced by very act of breathing. The inhalation causes a slight increase in heart rate, and the exhalation causes a slight decrease in heart rate. The daily rhythms of the heartbeat is in constant oscillation due to the breath alone. When we add in emotional states, we can begin to see how our feelings and experiences in life are influencing the heart's rhythm as well. Being angry, tense, frustrated, or anxious are all feeling-states that are associated with hormone secretions in the body, such as cortisol and adrenaline, which narrow our blood vessels and increase the heartbeat. Our body does this in order to activate the body's fight or flight mode, a sympathetic nervous system response. What happens when we take control of the breath in these situations? What does conscious regulation of breath bring to the endocrine system? This is the system of the body that releases hormone messengers, like cortisol, so what does breath regulation do for feelings of stress in the body?
We are only scratching the surface here, and we ask these questions to provoke simple thought. Entire books can be and have been written on this subject. It is clear that our breathing impacts our mental state, but on a deeper level, much more is taking place with conscious breathing. It is through the cultivation of daily practice that we can learn about the subtler intricacies of breathwork and how breath can truly supercharge our being. This discussion with convey the important ideas of the: the breath being a gift, the inhalation is not something that we take, and that the mind will follow the breath (if we feel a certain way, the breathing pattern changes to reflect that feeling). These concepts will carry us far in our practices.
Listen to the breath. Become aware of it's signature in the body - the way it makes the body move and respond. Allow the breath to be the teacher. The guru is within.
May all earnest seekers discover the truth of own being.
Comments