The Power of Breath
12/29/19 Filed in: Wellbeing
"The importance of breathing can hardly be stressed. It provides the oxygen needed for the metabolic processes; literally it supports the fires of life."
Alexander Lowen ~ The Voice of the Body
Our breath is our companion, accompanying us from the time we first enter the world, to the time we leave it. Yet, how many of us take our breath for granted, forgetting that awareness and regulation of our breath can reduce stress, improve health, increase vitality and even slow down the aging process.
When you observe infants and very young children, you can see their breathing is diaphragmatic and their inhalations and exhalations are full and natural. But soon, due to trauma or simply to familial and societal conditioning, often shallow, more constricted patterns of breathing begin to develop.
As we age, feelings of anxiety and stress continue to create suppression of our breath. And the repression of our emotions, as well as our sedentary life styles add to this pattern. How many of us have noticed, when we put our attention on it, that we have been holding or suppressing our breath at various points throughout the day?
The history of breathwork goes back a long way. For thousands of years spiritual seekers, mystics and yogis have used the power of breath to shift their consciousness, quiet the mind and calm the emotional body.
QiGong, is a system that combines movement, meditation and breath, while Buddhism stresses the importance of cultivating stillness through the practice of focusing on the breath. And the yogic breathing techniques of ancient India have long been used to calm and clear the mind and body, so that prana, or life force, can flow more freely.
All of these techniques are, of course, still employed today; Pranayama Breathing techniques, Daoist Reverse Breathing and Buddhist Mindfulness Breathing. But there are also more modern techniques that have been developed; Holotropic Breathwork, Rebirthing, and the Buteyko Breathing Method, to name but a few. The truth is, all cultures seem to be in agreement that in order to combat stress, to increase the flow of Qi in our systems and to free up our physical, mental, emotional and physical bodies, breath is key.
This past fall, I found myself occasionally waking up in the middle of the night, feeling a little short of breath. Puzzled, I consulted with my practitioner and she determined, via muscle testing, that the cause was an allergic reaction to mold in wet leaves. Not a surprise really, as I do live surrounded by acres of trees.
Her suggestion was to experiment with the Buteyko breathing technique in order to open up my airways, and I did try it for a little while, until I came upon something that seemed to be far more effective for me. It's called the Wim Hof Breathing Method.
Wim Hof, affectionately referred to as The Iceman, is a Dutch extreme athlete, who is known for his remarkable ability to withstand freezing temperatures. He has performed many amazing feats, including climbing Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro, wearing only shorts and shoes.
Outrageous and extroverted, with many videos and interviews on Youtube, he swears that all people are capable of doing what he does. He gives workshops internationally and what he teaches is based upon three pillars; breath, cold therapy and the power of the mind.
I now begin my day with 2 or optimally 3 rounds of the Wim Hof Method of circular breathing and breath retention. It's easy, enjoyable and very effective. The breathing, combined with the intermittent hot and cold showers which I mentioned in my previous blog post, has me start my day feeling energized and alert.
For those interested, Wim Hof's website is www.wimhofmethod.com and the link to the Youtube video of Wim explaining and demonstrating the breathing technique is ...... https://youtu.be/nzCaZQqAs9I
Try it! You may find you like it!
Breath is life.