Breathing
is a core fundamental in yoga and in life.
Breathing in allows air to
enter your body, filling your lungs and bringing oxygen to the
millions of cells all over your body.
Breathing out expells
carbon dioxide and other wastes.
And if you stop breathing
long enough that can be somewhat fatal...
Yoga
Breathing
FREE Ancient Yoga Secrets Audio # 3
From Pamela McDowell
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ancient yoga secrets hidden in your breath...
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In an ancient story
five vital functions in the body were arguing over which was the most
important.
The breath, the speech, the eyes, the ears and the
mind couldn't agree on who was the most important so they came up
with a plan.
Each would leave the body for a year then come
back and see how the body got on without that function.
The
first year speech left and upon its return the four other vital
functions said “We've been dumb for a year, unable to speak.
But
we've been getting by breathing with the breath, seeing with the
eyes, hearing with the ears, thinking with the mind. It's good to
have you back.”
The next year the eyes left for a year
and when they returned asked how it had been without them –
sure
the body's life would be plunged into misery without sight.
The
other vital functions said “We've been completely blind for a
year,
in total darkness - unable to see a thing. But
we've been getting by breathing with the breath, talking with speech,
hearing with the ears, thinking with the mind. It's good to have you
back.”
Then the ears went on their one year hiatus. When the ears returned
they asked what life had been like without
them.
The other vital functions said “We've been deaf as a
post for a whole year. Couldn't hear a thing. But
we've been getting by breathing with the breath, seeing
with the eyes, talking with
speech, thinking
with the mind. It's great to have you back.”
Then the mind took a year away from the body, came back
and asked how things had went.
The other vital functions said
“Without you we've been stupid unable to think, unable to
know a
thing. But
we've been getting by breathing with the breath, seeing
with the eyes, talking with
speech, hearing
with the ears. It's great to
have you
back.”
Finally the breath was ready to leave for a
year.
When realization dawned on the other functions of the
body what would happen if there was no breath for a year - or even
just a day they begged the breath...
“No, no don't leave!! We've been fools,” they said.
“We can't live without you. You
are the most important function in the body by far!”
So
breathing is a core fundamental
to
life.
Breathing in allows air to enter your body, filling your
lungs and bringing oxygen to the millions of cells all over your
body.
Breathing out expells carbon dioxide and other
wastes.
And if you stop breathing long enough that can be
somewhat fatal.
Of course we all know our breath is vital to
life but few of us realize how breath can become a powerful tool for
enhancing the awareness of our body and our health.
Your
breath is a wonderful messenger.
It helps you key into things
you may not have noticed in your body.
If you find that smooth
steady breath that's powerful and easy it can be an indicator that
you're doing something well.
Likewise, your
breath offers another
perspective when things aren't going so well.
Is your breath
full, smooth and easy,
or choppy, strained and tense?
Agitated breathing is a sign
that something is wrong.
So if you have
the signs that something
is amiss, what can you do?
Sometimes the
remedy is clear. Perhaps
it's a simply case of overexerting, in which you should just
back-off. Or maybe it's more subtle...
Are you holding
tension in your body?
Your shoulders, neck and jaw are often places we tighten up –
either when we're under stress or as a matter of habit.
How are you
supporting yourself?
Is
the placement of your feet causing strain on your knees? Is the
placement of you arm causing pain in your wrist?
Learn what
your comfortable and stable range of movement is and work from there.
Of course, you
could also be carrying
some tension or patterns from life – such as a stiff back
from
sitting too long. Be aware of it and find ways to unwind the pain or
compensate for it being there.
If you have
pain or discomfort from an
injury, be sure to understand the effects of your practice on the
injury – it's best if practice supports healing rather than
aggravating your injury.
When in doubt, seek the assistance
of your doctor or therapist. The same is true for chronic
conditions.
The awareness you cultivate in yoga will go
a long way toward helping you avoid irritating injuries or chronic
conditions in the future.
Perhaps those
caution messages in your
body or breath are pointing to your mind.
Are you holding on
to distress, saddness, or pain?
Is your mind racing around –
going over a problem at work or in your love life?
If your
mind is the current source of tension acknowledge the distraction and
bring your attention back to your body and breath.
Bringing
your attention back to your existience, right now, will gradually
ease the suffering from your mind.
Look for the
smooth breath, the at-ease
body, and feeling of well-being within. It is there –
sometimes
you just need to pay attention for it to unfold.
One
of the simplest ways to relax is to simply bring awareness to your
breath and take three very slow, deliberate breaths.
Try it
right now.
Breathe in becoming aware first of the feeling of
air filling your lungs then the feeling throughout your whole
body.
Listen to the sound of your breath.
Hold your
breath for a second or two then slowly breath out.
Stay
focused on the sound and feel of your slow, methodical breathing
–
the smell of air passing through your nose.
As you breathe in
again observe how your spine moves, how your chest or your belly
rises.
Observe the sensation throughout your body as you
breathe out.
Notice the feeling from the top of your head, to
your fingers, to the tips of your toes.
On your third long
deep breath imagine you're breathing in pure, relaxing light and as
you breathe out imagine all the stress and tension leaving your body
being swept away on a gentle breeze.
You
don't have to wait for a yoga class to relax or to use the core
fundamental of breathing.
Remember that every part of your
every day life is your yoga practice.
And you can bring
attention to your breathing any time you please.
You can slow
down your breathing, take long deep breaths or just be aware of your
breathing as an impartial observer.
The ancient yoga secret of
breathing is yours to use whenever you want.
For your own Viniyoga video designed to help you practice on your own safely and effectively, gradually building up
strength, flexibility, balance, breath capacity, and focus click on the link below... Beginner Yoga Video
For
more FREE audio clips on how you can use simple, practical Viniyoga
techniques to improve your health enter your name and primary email
address below...