Training the Breath On the day that you were born, you began to die. Do not waste a single moment more! ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche On my journey, I determined that I was not my emotions, but the question, “Who am I?” still had to be answered. Then I thought, “Am I the breath?” I remember when my son’s little body sucked in a great big breath as soon as he left the comfort of my womb. The doctors said he was alive. The word inspire means to breathe in. When my mother’s body became sick and weak, she stopped breathing, and the doctors told me she had died. The word expire means to breathe out. Breath is very important to the health and well-being of the physical body. It has a great effect on our appearance of liveliness, inspiration, youthfulness, and vigor. On the other hand, if not used properly, it contributes to our appearance of being deflated, depleted, aged, and “deathly” ill. The first thing I always teach a client is the importance of breathing. Most clients look at me pretty funny when I tell them that they are going to learn how to breathe. Many of them question why they are paying good money to learn something that they have been doing all of their lives. They start thinking twice when I ask them, “How long can the body go without food?” I wait for the answer, which is usually between 7 to 30 days. Then I ask, “How long can the body go without water?” The answer to this question is usually between 3 and 7 days. Finally, I ask them, “How long can the body go without breathing?” The response is usually big eyes and a smile. “Not very long at all,” they say. They are absolutely right! A large percentage of psychological and physical illnesses can be linked directly to improper breathing. Likewise, many illnesses, including obesity, anxiety, depression, asthma, and allergies, can be cured or brought under control with proper breathing. In their book Breathwalk, Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, Ph.D. and Yogi Bhajan, Ph.D. write: Many illnesses can be cured or brought under control with proper breathing. After decades of research and an exhaustive review of the literature, Dr. Robert Fried concluded in his 1993 The Psychology and Physiology of Breathing: In Behavioral Medicine, Clinical Psychology, and Psychiatry that normal breathing has been overlooked and under-emphasized by most physicians and psychiatrists. His studies showed that abnormal breathing patterns, shallow breathing, or hyperventilation is a complication or causal factor in 50 to 70 percent of medical complaints. By training people in proper breathing, he could alleviate emotional problems, circulatory difficulties, and a range of common complaints. In his best-selling 1995 book, Spontaneous Healing, Dr. Andrew Weil says, “Breathing may be the master function of the body, affecting all others. Restrictions in breathing can be the result of past traumas, both physical and emotional. Most of us have never received instruction about breathing and how to take advantage of it as a harmonizer of mind and body.” It would seem by these statements that the most important bodily function within your control at every moment is breathing. So, what can you do to improve your health on any day no matter what is going on? Be mindful of your breathing. Think happy thoughts and keep your awareness in the present moment. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist Monk, writer, and peace activist, revealed a powerful insight about breath awareness in his book Breathe! You Are Alive: Breathing is a means of awakening and maintaining full attention in order to look carefully, long, and deeply, see the nature of all things, and arrive at liberation … We live as if we are in a dream. We are dragged into the past and pulled into the future. We are bound by our sorrows, by holding onto anger, unease, and fear. “Liberation,” here means transforming and transcending these conditions in order to be fully awake, at ease and in peace, joyfully and freshly. When we live in this way, our life is worth living, and we become a source of joy to our family and to everyone around us. I will touch on two fundamental breathing techniques. More breathing techniques can be found in the pages of popular medical, athletic, and yoga literature, which are available at major bookstores and libraries. Personally, I have found the widest range and most detailed techniques in yoga-based literature. In many yoga-based texts, the Sanskrit word pranayama is used when referring to breath work. This word means energy guidance. Toning and Tuning Breath It is right mindfulness and attention that allow us to change our behavior. ~ Kalu Rinpoche If you have ever had the opportunity to see a baby lying on his back, you will observe that his little round stomach will rise up and go down as he breathes. This is because his diaphragm, which is located between the lungs and the stomach, is working to pull oxygen to the middle part of his body, which is rich with blood. In turn, the entire body benefits from the freshly oxygenated blood. When we breathe in this way, our intercostal muscles, core muscles, and diaphragm are working and strong. So we can say that when we breathe using the diaphragm, we are toning up as well as tuning in! Many people experience a calmer mind and relaxed body almost instantly when they are breathing properly. The first step is to use good posture. Sit with your neck and spine in line. If you have an injury that makes this difficult, then try lying on your back and bending your knees with a pillow under them. Posture is very important. When you are slouching, it is difficult to be fully aware because you are closing off or pinching energy flow in your spine. (How many times were you told as a child to sit up straight and pay attention?) Next, place your hand on your stomach for the first few breaths to ensure you are breathing correctly. As you breathe in, the stomach should fill like a balloon and push away from the spine. When you exhale, you should gently pull your stomach back to the spine. Practice a few times with your hand over your navel. When you are breathing correctly, bring both hands to your knees or sides and continue breathing. Try to keep your shoulders and neck relaxed. Do not scrunch up your shoulders toward your ears when your inhale. (Many people have a tendency to do this.) After practicing for a few minutes, notice your state of mind. Do you feel as though you have just let go of some stress? Many people experience a calmer mind and relaxed body almost instantly when they are breathing properly. I have had some clients say that finding time to practice healthy lifestyle changes is tough at first. As for breathing techniques, I tell them, “You have to breathe anyway, do not you? All I am suggesting is that you breathe a little deeper.” Balancing Breath We can always begin again. ~ Jack Kornfield Breathing gives you more than oxygen and the release of toxins. Breathing can be used to create an atmosphere of balance in both the body and the mind. B.K.S. Iyengar, a world-renowned yogi, wrote about the power of the breath in bringing about balance in his book, Light on Pranayama: By thus changing the sides for inhalation and exhalation, the energy reaches the remotest parts of the body and brain. The sadhaka (student) gains the secret of even and balanced action in all the quarters of the brain, and thus experiences peace, poise and harmony. Alternating Breath 1. Begin with your neck and spine in line. You will use the thumb and ring finger or the thumb and the index finger of your right hand. 1.(Do whichever feels better to you.) 2. Place the thumb over the right nostril and breathe in slowly and deeply through the open left nostril. (If your nose is stuffy, use your finger to gently lift your cheek and sinus pouch.) 3. Pause for a second after you inhale. 4. Close your left nostril with your finger and open the right nostril by releasing your thumb. (If your nose is stuffy, use your thumb to gently lift your cheek and sinus pouch.) 5. Exhale completely from the right nostril. 6. Pause for a second after you exhale. 7. Breathe in completely through the right nostril with the thumb over the left nostril. Remove the ring finger from the left nostril and exhale completely. This is your pattern: Breathe in>switch off>exhale>breathe in>switch off> exhale>breathe in>switch off>exhale… 8. Do this about twenty times. If you feel this is too much at first, then do what you can and build toward a goal of doing it for at least twenty breaths. Yogis believe that the right nostril controls the “hot” side, or the heated energies, within the body. The left side is believed to rule the “cool” side, or cooling energies, within the body. Breathing through both sides achieves balance. These techniques can help you calm down, rev up, or reduce anxiety and panic. The following techniques can help you calm down, rev up, or reduce anxiety and panic. If you have a medical condition that results in panic attacks or any severe phobias, show these techniques to your health care professional and ask if it is appropriate for you. Cooling Down and Calming Down If you feel stressed, close off the right nostril and breathe through the left side a few times. This can help calm you. Heating Up and Revving Up If you feel tired and you need a boost, close off the left nostril and breathe through the right side a few times. The Pause that Refreshes If you are feeling panicked, take in a deep breath, pause for a moment, exhale, and pause for a moment. Continue this breathing to reduce fear, anxiety, and panic responses.