Breath Your Way To Life!

 

 

If someone told you that you don’t know how to breath! What would be your reaction?

 

Common what a load of rubbish, I have been breathing for the past 30-40-50-60 years and you tell me I don’t know how to breath.

 

Well, we assume we know how to breath properly because we have been breathing every moment of our life.

 

Doing something regularly for years does not mean that you are doing that activity to perfection.

 

Same is the case with our breathing, it is one of the activities which we do unconsciously day in day out. However, most of us do not breath in a proper manner.

 

Breath is called Prana (Life Force) in Indian tradition. It is the force which sustains and supports the body.

 

Hence it imperative that we must pay focus on such an important activity. If we breath properly and with awareness it can radically change our lives.

 

Let us Breath our Way to Life!

 

Deep/Belly Breathing

 

 

Have you ever seen a child breathing? Take your attention to his/her belly, it rises with every inhalation and falls with every exhalation.

 

Now bring your attention to the way you breath. You would notice that your breathing is very shallow.

 

Most of us are breathing from our chest. Whereas you should breath through your Diaphragm, which is the primary muscle used in the process of breathing.

 

There are many people who breath through their mouth. However, the correct way of breathing is through the nose.

Here is the proper way of breathing:

 

Breath in through your nose slowly and let the air go down, beyond your chest, and fill your stomach with air, simultaneously feel your stomach expanding outwards.

 

Breathing out slowly through your nose, expel the entire air out smoothly and feel your abdomen contracting. And repeat the process.

 

An average adult takes 12-18 breath per minute. Studies have shown that slowing down one’s breathing to 6 breaths per minute has following effects:

 Reduces stress  

Lowers blood pressure 

Reduces heart rate 

Relaxes your muscles

It help you to cope with anxiety and PTSD ( Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Breath Awareness

 

Don’t be scared, I won’t advise you to sit for 20-30 minutes in meditation.

 

During the day when you are not occupied with serious work, you may take your awareness to your nostrils and observe air passing through your nostrils.

 

While inhaling, be aware that you are inhaling and while exhaling be aware that you are exhaling. Feel the incoming or outgoing air touching your nostrils. Just be aware of it and don’t do anything.

 

This simple exercise will increase your concentration and will make you peaceful. This can be done throughout the day whenever and wherever you get some time.

 

You may also keep password of your laptop/computer which reminds you to be aware of your breath e.g. Breathforlife or Takedeepbreath etc. 

Whenever you log into your system using your password, take 5-10 deep breaths in awareness and then resume your work.

 

Breathing while Walking

 

While you are walking, synchronise your breathing with it. You may take 4-6 steps while breathing in and 4-6 steps while breathing out.

While doing walking keep your focus either on your breath or your feet touching the ground.

You don't have to set aside exclusive time to do this. This can be done while you are walking up to coffee machine or going to the washroom etc.

 

This will enhance your mindfulness and help you to calm down.

 

Wim Hoff Method

He is known as “The Iceman”. He has around 26 Guinness World Records. He climbed Mt Kilimanjaro wearing only shorts and shoes. He holds the world record for fastest half marathon barefoot on ice and snow. And there are many more such records under his belt.

 

He has been subjected to many scientific studies. He was injected with endotoxin that would normally produce fever, headache and shivering in normal people. But, he did not have any of these symptoms.

 

He attributes his ability to withstand extreme cold to Breathing, Cold Therapy and Meditation.

 

There are many variations of the breathing method. The basic version consists of three phases as follows ( source-Wikipedia):

1.    Controlled breathing: The first phase involves 30–40 cycles of breathing. Each cycle goes as follows: take a deep breath in, fully filling the lungs. Breathe out by passively releasing the breath, but not forcefully. Repeat this cycle at a steady pace thirty to forty times. Hof says that this form of hyperventilation may lead to tingling sensations or light-headedness.

 

2.    Breath retention: After completion of the 30–40 cycles of controlled hyperventilation, take a final deep breath in, and let it out. Do not fully empty the lungs; instead let the air out until you would need to contract your diaphragm to expel more air. Hold the breath until you feel an urge to breathe again (1 to 3 minutes).

 

3.    Recovery breath: When a strong urge to breathe occurs, take a full deep breath in. Hold the breath for around 15 to 20 seconds and let it go. The body may experience a normal head-rush sensation.

 

These three phases may be repeated for three or more consecutive rounds.

 

 

 

Breath in Awareness, Breath Slowly and Deeply, Breath Through Nose and Breath Your Way to Life!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Studies in healthy humans have found that controlled slow breathing, particularly at 6 breaths per min, is associated with an increase in fluctuations of both blood pressure and heart rate, compared to breathing at a typical rate