Magic of Breath
The manner in which you breath effects not only
the rhythm of your heart but the functioning of your
vital organs, as well as the very thought process itself.
Observe yourself through a day. Observe your mental
state as it changes. Note as well how you are breathing
at these various moments. As important to the breathing
process as the lungs are, the passage ways which
link the lungs to the outside air.
That these passage ways (ears, nose and throat) be
kept open and moist is as important as the manner in
which the breath is drawn.
Clothing that inhibits the chest or abdomen should be
discarded during practice in favor of loose robes or
nothing at all.
One should be sitting or standing as laying causes the
organs to shift making the initial stretching of the chest
and abdomen more difficult.
With palms together fingers pointing upward, place the
lower thumb area against the center of your forehead,
your wrist even with the bridge of your nose and tilt your
head slightly upward to open the throat area.
Inhale through you nose focusing your inner eye on the
bridge of your nose seeing feeling the air entering this
area before it turns and begins it's trip downward to the
pit of your stomach.
Visualize the air descending downward first to your
navel area, pause, then filling the lower chest area,
pause, then filling the upper chest and shoulder region.
Hold the breath for a moment, then begin releasing it
through the now open mouth, slowly, with control.
First the air from the upper region, then middle region,
then bring the last remnants up from the lower region,
tightening to expel as much of the old air as possible
before beginning again.
Do not strain as you do this for your muscles will tighten
making the already difficult impossible, leaving you
gasping for breath and depleted of energy.
With time and repetition the body will open more and
more to accept what it knows it needs. Time the length
of your inhale and exhale starting with the second
inhalation (the first being to clear the channels and
prepare the mind).
Strive for evenness. If it takes you 20 seconds to
fully inhale it should take 20 seconds to fully exhale.
Remember control. The natural inclination will be to
exhale quickly. If this urge is strong you are forcing
yourself too quickly, so relax and quicken you
inhalation. Remember though you must stretch yourself.
This is work. Once you have trained your body to breath
fully and evenly, and your mind to follow the process
you can change your hands to a more comfortable
position.
Stage two is to listen for your heart beat. Use it as
your breath clock. Begin by inhaling for the count
of four beats, retain your breath for two beats, and
release it for four more, rest without inhaling for two
more beats, then repeat. When this becomes easy,
increase to six and three beats, then eight and four
and so on. At first you will find that your heart rate
changes speed from inhale to exhale and while
retaining. It is through listening and adjusting the
pressure of the air in your lungs that you first gain
control over the rhythm of your heart and your
blood pressure.
Though this could take many years of practice
the only secret is discipline and constant practice.
As you attain greater mastery you begin to mentally
draw air into other parts of your body, filling your legs
arms and head.
While sleeping on should seek to imitate the breath of
a baby, which is a longer inhalation and a relaxed
quicker exhale until you doze off.
While walking practice the heart rhythm breath
using your steps in place of your heart beat.
Inhale for four steps, retain for two, exhale for four
and rest for two.
Aside from practice there is observation of both
yourself and others. As to how the depth and rhythm
alters with their mood and activity. By imitating and
practicing and cataloging these different breaths
you gain control over your own emotional life and
learn to accurately judge that of others.
How do the strong breath, the peaceful, the enraged,
the compassionate. All these powers can be attained
through the breath.
