Home
>
Stress Management
>
Just Breathe - Is This Your Missing Link ?

Just Breathe - Is This Your Missing Link ?

Breathing is the vital force of life. It is considered to be the mind-body bridge. Breathing is something that is done everyday, unconsciously; yet the majority of people do it improperly. When babies breathe, it is instinctive. Watching a healthy baby while sleeping, one may notice the deep breaths that are taken which fill up the diaphragm and move up into the lungs. As a person ages, bad habits are picked up, health often declines, nutrition worsens, and stress overwhelms the proper function of breathing. The word pranayama means "that which extends infinitely everywhere". It is the practice of prana or breath. The breath begins at an energy center inside and extends throughout the body to keep one alive. We exercise our bodies, but what about our breathing?

The balanced and peaceful individual is said to have more prana dispersed within the body rather than outside of the body. An image of a breath center with arrows pointing outward but staying within the boundaries of the physical being is one way to imagine an individual with healthy prana. It is thought that, when the prana remains in the body, the individual is free of physical symptoms. If one feels ill, anxious, restless, or discontented, the prana is at a greater force externally than within. This can show up in a variety of warning signs, from the overt physical manifestations, to the mental feelings of depression, lack of motivation, etc?

The state of mind is directly connected to breathing. The quality of our breath influences the state of our mind and vice-versa. They are one and the same. The most obvious example here would be the quality of breath in a stressful situation. The mind is overloaded with worries and the breath, in turn, becomes rapid, shallow, and sometimes even forgotten altogether. If the breath is used deeply and in a proper manner, the mind's focus is taken away from the situation at hand and placed back into a state of peacefulness which shows an immediate reciprocation in the calming of the breath and the mind.

Humans generally, and often unknowingly, pollute themselves and the Earth with toxic substances and various forms of rubbish whether it is in what is consumed, or in what is allowed in the mind. Breathing suffers because of this. Breath, the very most important thing that bodies need besides water, is neglected or contaminated. When the body is filled with debris, breathing suffers, as there is not enough room for it to flourish in the body. A daily breathing practice, along with the other important aspects of a healthy lifestyle, can free the body of detrimental breathing patterns and reverse the process of destruction brought upon by our modern day society.

Breathing exercises are excellent tools that can even be used in everyday situations. In many instances, especially those entrenched in fear, anger, or stress, breathing will help to diffuse the state of mind that may cause a reaction or statement that is contrary to a balanced way of life. The exercises can also be used before speeches or performances that may be otherwise anxiety-ridden. Breathing exercises can be used in childbirth preparation and, hopefully, during labor to reduce the intensity of the baby's birth. The benefits of pranayama are numerous and one who exercises the breath can only hope to have an opportunity to delve deeper into this realm that holds so much significance in our existence on this Earth.

Prana is life and pranayama is its exaltation. One should begin by becoming familiar with the breath and noticing the times when the breath is shallow; be the breath observer. It is recommended to begin breathwork with a qualified teacher (registered yoga teachers are trained in pranayama). As with anything, the more one practices, the more it becomes automatic and a way of life. How can we deny the breath its proper exercise and practice? The next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, remember to take the phrase "just breathe" seriously as it may be that one body-mind-spirit link that you are missing.

"When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath."(Hatha Yoga Pradipika)

Deborah L. Shipley, RYT
Deborah is a Registered Yoga Teacher and a writer of the free monthly e-zine Self Esteem: Shining from Within. If you would like to contact her please visit her website: http://www.quizforselfesteem.com her blog hosted e-zine site: http://www.quizforselfesteem.com or e-mail her at http://www.quizforselfesteem.com

personalized cleaning services Des Plaines ..

In The News:

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Just Breathe - Is This Your Missing Link ?

Stress Management