With every breath we begin the journey of our life. But often,
we take it for granted, and develop bad breathing habits. Breath.
The root of our existence. Not a single pause. Loud and noisy
if you're angry. Agitated, it heaves the chest. Slow and steady
if you're calm.
Do we realize that it is this very breath, which is actually
controlling all our responses—physical, mental and emotional?
When you are in the mother's womb, it keeps you alive. The connecting
cord breathes. It sustains you inside and prepares you for the
outside world. As children we breathe deeply, filling the lower
abdomen and expanding the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a parachute-shaped
structure with a dome, located just below the heart, and attached
to the sides and front of the inner rib cage and the tip of the
breastbone. At the back of the dome there are long muscles or
crura, which run along the front of the spinal column and act
as anchors for the parachute. In healthy breathing, the diaphragm
moves without restriction, descending as we inhale and ascending
as we exhale.
But as we grow older, we forget to breathe properly, and breathing
tends to get shallower. We stop using the abdominal muscles, then
the diaphragm. The lungs don't fill completely with air. Eventually
the breath barely reaches the top of the lungs and stays mainly
in the throat, leading to depletion of oxygen in the body. Taoists
believe that this loss of oxygen is the primary cause of memory
loss in the elderly.
| Deep, relaxed breathing is acieved when diaphragm anc chest muscles work together in harmony together. Deep breathing is also one of the fastest and most effective ways to relax. | |
What exactly is normal rate of breathing and how should we go
about attaining it? Notes Dennis Lewis in The Tao of Natural Breathing:
"Our inhalation and exhalation cycle is 12-14 times a minute
when we are awake and six to eight times a minute when we are
asleep. A baby breathes at about twice these rates." Not
only does breath have its regular cycle, it can change radically
with different activities. For instance, after extreme physical
activity it can go up to 100 times a minute. But serious and correct
breathers can breathe four to eight times a minute, as they take
in more oxygen and expel more carbon dioxide with each exhalation
and inhalation.
Tthe correct way of breathing for a healthier and longer life
is the Three Step Rhythmic Breathing (3 SRB)—three steps
being technique, volume, and rhythm. In 3 SRB, the chest and abdomen
have to rise and fall simultaneously, lungs filled to normal capacity,
and the correct rhythm followed, involving three seconds to inhale
and two seconds to exhale.
So how is this related to health and well-being? Feel the tight
spots in your neck and shoulders, pain in your back, sore muscles
or aching legs. These are the places where the energy doesn't
flow smoothly. Breath encompasses inner growth also. Before looking
for answers, it is essential to understand the intimate relationship
between mind and body, the many powerful and subtle ways in which
they influence each other.
All our physical and psychological responses are accompanied
by a change in breathing. Surprised, and a gasp immediately follows.
If you're stressed out, there will be a different breathing pattern.
Writes Donna Farhi, New Zealander yoga teacher, in Holding Your
Breath (Yoga Journal, April 1996): "Stress may be real or
imagined. Just imagining a stressful event can reduce inhalation
volume. When we are continuously exposed to stress, then the body
just forgets to relax." Obviously, the breathing pattern
changes, and "it just might become a statement about what
happened in the past rather then what is happening to us in the
present".
But what exactly are we doing wrong? Obstructing breath
means cutting ourselves off from the most vital source of human
energy. Only when we free our respiratory process, we breathe
in the manner fitting for each situation.
This brings us to pranayama (yogic breathing techniques). Renowned
yoga teacher B.K.S. Iyengar, in his book Light on Pranayama, says:
"Prana is the energy permeating the universe at all levels-physical,
mental, intellectual, sexual, spiritual and cosmic energy. It
is usually translated as breath. Thus pranayama is an art and
has techniques to make the respiratory organs move and expand
intentionally, rhythmically and intensively." In these techniques,
there is a long, sustained flow of inhalation, exhalation and
retention of breath. Thus, the flow of prana is regulated along
with thoughts, desires and actions, which gives poise and tremendous
will power to master oneself. Opines Donna: "Pranayama strengthens
and refines breathing. But most of us practice pranayama without
addressing underlying breath-holding habits. Paradoxically, pranayama
frequently suppresses deep-seated fears and insecurities."
Then what is the correct way to breathe? Do we need to relearn
breathing? Learning to breathe is a deconstruction process, not
a technique to improve breathing. We identify and let go of existing
things, which restrict the natural flow of breath.
Perform a subtle check whether the breath is disordered or restricted.
Sit comfortably in a chair, back straight and feet firmly planted
on the ground. Quietly observe your breath. Ask yourself the following
questions and wait for your reactions. Don't worry if they are
vague or blurry. Over a period of time, the sensations will become
clear and defined.
Where do I feel my breathing? To find out, place one hand on
your abdomen and the other on the upper chest. Feel the point
of origin of breath. Let your perceptions come through. Don't
overlook any small movement. Do you feel any particular area where
the breath is more noticeable? What does my breathing feel like?
Is it rough, jerky, labored, rhythmic? Let any words or images
arise. Make a note of them. How fast do I breathe? Without altering
the number of breaths, count the number of times you breathe in
and out per minute when sitting quietly. Remember, an inhalation
and exhalation makes one cycle. And no cheating! Now you're on
track, so proceed further.
Contract your diaphragm. It helps you feel how your diaphragm
responds to stress. And identify when you are contracting and
restricting free movement of this muscle. Adopt any posture, which
is comfortable: sit, stand or lie down. Place one hand on your
abdomen. Relax the muscles in your body and feel the movement
of the diaphragm. As the diaphragm lies deep in your body, you
will feel only surface movements. Quickly clench the fist of the
other hand. Did you feel the parachute jump under your hand? When
the outer muscles prepare themselves for reaction, inner muscles
automatically follow suit.
Now that you are familiar with your breathing pattern, let's look
at ways in which most of us restrict it. You can crosscheck with
your breathing habits.
In correct breathing, the diaphragm descends during inhalation
and downward pressure causes the abdomen to billow outwards. Breathing
out, the diaphragm moves up into the chest, causing a slight drawing
inwards and upwards through the abdomen. Whereas in reverse breathing,
the abdomen moves in on inhalation and out on exhalation. This
kind of breathing often arises from the habit of wearing restrictive
clothing or tight belts, which makes it impossible for the abdomen
to expand during any breathing phase.
Since reverse breathing causes confusion in the diaphragm, it
also results in mental disorientation. Reverse breathers often
feel uncoordinated. Hence, chronic tension in your
upper body, especially around the back of the neck, upper shoulder,
upper back, and jaw area.
Watch the movement of your breath. See if you can identify reverse
breathing movements when you breathe in or out. How to change
patterns Slow down so that you can become more aware of the reversal
in breathing pattern. Relax your abdomen. Consciously allow the
abdomen to move out on inhalation and move in on exhalation. No
force, let it take its own path.
This is probably the most common breathing pattern in today's
stress-filled society. Also known as paradoxical breathing, it
is a natural reflex when we are suddenly startled or frightened.
We gasp, pull the abdomen in and breathe high into the chest.
The lift of the abdomen and pelvic floor prevents the diaphragm
from descending completely as we inhale. Chest breathers restrict
breath movement in the abdomen, forcing it higher up into the
chest, while shoulders move up and down.
Chest breathers rely on weak upper body muscles. Thereby developing
chronic tension in thoracic spine, shoulders and neck. Moreover,
this tension is resistant to massage or any other relaxation therapy
as it recapitulates the moment the person resumes chest breathing,
which is an incredible 22,000 times a day! Since we can't breathe
in fully, we can't breathe out fully also. So we resort to breathing
more quickly to make up for lack of oxygen. Scarier still is the
fact that it sets the stage for an even more serious breathing
problem: hyperventilation. Chest breathers normally sit on the
edge of their seats and exude anticipation in their entire bearing.
They never seem to have enough time to do all the tasks they set
out on and often experience a chronic, free-floating state of
anxiety. Scientific evidence now points to the connection between
chest breathing, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest.
Observe the movement of both. If both your shoulders and chest
are rising, you are probably not a chest breather. A chest breather
suppresses breath in the lower abdomen, forcing it to move higher
up into the body.
Relax your shoulders and upper back. Consciously follow normal
breathing pattern. Mentally assess yourself. Ground yourself in
the present.
As this breathing pattern develops out of chest breathing, it
is more restrictive. When the diaphragm can't descend completely
during inhalation, it reduces space in the chest, limiting lung
capacity. Hence, less oxygen is taken in with each breath. In
this habit we tend to breathe quickly.
| When you become stressed out, your breathing becomes much shallower and faster, which will make the blood more alkaline and can lead to hyperventilation and panic attack. If you realize this, you can quickly rever the process by taking slower and deeper breaths. |
First of all, hyperventilation makes us lose too much carbon dioxide
from the body, the most crucial ingredient in helping us maintain
an acid-alkaline balance of the blood (about pH 7.40). With the
result that the metabolism shifts from acid to alkaline. Dr Robert
Fried, author of The Breath Connection, states that it restricts
brain arteries and makes nerves and muscles hyperactive, leads
to headache, lack of concentration, dizziness, breathlessness,
cold hands and feet and inappropriate responses.
Take frequent note of your breath while performing any activity.
You may be surprised to discover that most often, it is accelerated
even in the most sedentary activity. Watch your inhalation and
exhalation also. You may sigh, yawn or shallow breathe.
Focus on increasing your exhalation. Decelerate some of your activities.
Your breathing will mirror the rate at which you do things. Write
some letters by hand instead of typing them. Try to do some menial
work every day. Any rhythmic, repetitive task will replace breathing.
Always question: is there actually any need to hurry in any task?
Our breath has three parts: exhalation, pause, inhalation. Breath
grabbers grasp the next breath without taking a pause. This pause
results in a sense of ease, surrender, and relaxation. Breath
grabbers are also the kind of people who finish other people's
sentences for them. They also feel that if they don't jump in
or reach out for what they want, then they'll miss out or be left
behind.
Observe your breathing as you listen to others. Let other people
finish their sentences. Pause consciously before you speak, even
at the ring of the bell or a glimpse of your favorite color.
Most often, breathing becomes restrictive because the nervous
system becomes used to a particular way of breathing. Changing
breathing patterns requires courage, honesty and a willingness
to proceed further. First identify the reasons, which restrict
breathing. Next, hold your breath and disengage from the holding
pattern. Consciously try to relax the tense areas.
Because of the intimate connection between the breath and the
mind, watching the breath has been used as a meditation technique
for eons, most prominently in Vipassana, which the Buddha is said
to have taught himself and which in our time has been popularized
by S.N. Goenka. Speaking precisely, watching the breath is the
first stage in Vipassana, and it is called Anapana. It calms
down the mind sufficiently to graduate to Vipassana, observing
bodily sensations. "Any form of meditation, even the quiet
observation of your breath, is a union with your inner self. It
helps in expanding our consciousness and mingling with the infinite
source of light and wisdom. Thus, creating a balance and enriching
life," writes R. Venugopalan in The Art of Breathing.
When we are able to breathe through our whole body, we are aligning
ourselves with the natural flow of energy. This increases oxygen
intake, promotes efficiency in the entire breathing mechanism,
revitalizes all the cells, tissues, and body organs and eliminates
toxins. At the psychological level, it helps us relax, focus on
our inner self and get "accurate and complete impressions"
of our body, mind and soul. Soon, emotions and attitude will change
and any negativity will lose its hold. Breath on, for if it stops,
the body becomes inert. Life ends.
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