Breath is life

The 4th part of Raja Yoga defines all breathing techniques, which show us how to conquer the mind and therefore control the body and senses. Unless we control the breath we will never be able to control the mind and body.

Breath is life and life depends on breath. We take it for granted and rarely think about our inhalation and exhalation of air which we think happens automatically, until the time we find it difficult to breath and we have to make an effort. When we have the flu and our sinuses are blocked or are suddenly frightened by something our breath becomes short and unstable, we then realize how fundamental the breath is to our existence and how out of our control breathing has become.

Beyond this point, which is more obvious to most people, is the other more hidden problem, which is- most people are not breathing properly to benefit their mind and body on any deeper level, which in turn is causing many illnesses in our world. Watch yourself breath for a time and you will realize as you are going about your business all day, a lot of that time you are taking very quick and short breaths or much of the time you are just holding your breath while under some sort of tension. From the way you clime out of bed, the way you eat your food or the way you speak, the breath is not controlled and is being held or shortened continuously. Many clients of mine when coming for treatments say to me " Much of the time it feel as if I have stopped breathing for a long time." As this way of unconscious breathing becomes a habit due to all the pressure and stress we feel all day long, over time if not treated with better habits and yogic breathing practice of Dirgwa Swasam* it will turn into an illness or disease. Short, interrupted or breathing that is held is the root of most modern diseases.

Modern doctors in general are not trained in herbal medicine or any eastern natural cures such as Yoga or Ayurvedic medicine so they will not be looking for any signs of illness due to bad breathing habits. In the practise of natural medicine one of the first things a therapist will be looking at will be how deeply and frequently a person is breathing, during silence and when talking and how their pulse is. Do you find yourself running our of breath when talking? Do you know how you breathe when eating? From the depth of how someone breathes comes much information about what kind of health problems they may have or will be prone to in the future. If very short you will have issues such asthma or depression if very fast bone issues and nervousness.

We know we cannot live without the breath but we take it for granted that it will never stop until the day we are to leave the planet. This is true, but how we use the breath can on one hand give us maximum health and on the other side take our mind further and deeper into unknown territories. With good use of the breath we can go further into the mind and bring about many changes, which were though of as impossible before. With all the various yoga techniques and breathing practises, one can gain command of what is passing in the mind to control it and change it for healthier, kinder and more compassionate thoughts.

One of the things that happens when we do not breath correctly is that our nervous system suffers and we become quick tempered, impatient and less understanding of other people. This in turn leaves us unsure and exhausted a lot of the times thinking we are fighting the world when we are really only fighting ourselves.

The health of the mind and body will rise as the breath deepens and slows down to match the rhythm of the heart. If the heart is excited too much due to the habits and excesses of life then the breath will become uneasy and difficult, but if the heart is pleased with peace and calmness then the breath will lead you into happy times.

Remember to breath deeply and to follow the breath as you go about your daily life- this will teach you more about who you are.

Yogi Cameron

*Dirgwa Swasam is a full yogic breath, which is how we should be breathing at all times. On the inhalation the stomach comes out, the chest expands and the shoulders raise a touch. On the exhale the shoulders relax, the chest moves in and the stomach is sucked in a little.