Breath = Life (Yes, it IS that powerful)
You might notice that breathing is something that is often called out by the yoga instructor during the yoga asana (movement) practice. I do it. A LOT. Sometimes I even get a little annoyed in my head at my own redundancy! Then I exhale that negative feeling out :-)
I used to have a teacher that said during class, usually in the middle of an intense hold: “Are you breathing? If you are not breathing, you are not doing yoga. I don’t know what you’re doing, but it is not yoga!”
So why is breathing so important, except for the obvious needing-it-to-stay-alive reason? Why breathwork (Pranayam) kicks off most yoga classes? There are a few reasons:
Breath provides vital focus to the practice. While it nourishes our physical bodies, it is the pairing of the conscious inhale and exhale with the movement that gets our minds and our bodies talking, which in essence is mindfulness, the body / mind connection, the deepening of our conscious experience. Today you are fiercely ujjay breathing to hold your chair pose, tomorrow you anchor to your breath in line at the DMV or during a tough conversation.
Breath aids in the detox process. Yoga poses work networks of organs through the alignment of all body systems: the skeleton, muscles, endocrine, and nervous systems. More than deep stretches, ancient yoga wisdom assured that the poses were designed to simultaneously massage internal organs so they release toxins through the sweat and breath you generate in practice. This is why when you practice yoga regularly, you observe much deeper health changes than fitness regimens, including:
Reduction of inflammation
Insomnia relief and deeper, more restorative sleep
A slower heart rate and less jumpiness and reactivity as nervous system soothes
Optimized digestion and relief to many stomach and intestinal ailments
A more positive mindset and better mood
A balancing of hormone fluctuations
Posture changes that involve more height and openness
Breath can be used to both build heat and release heat from the body, and when we learn this, it opens the door to other ways we can master our physical experience. There is a story of a monk who, along with his group, meditates in the Himalayan mountains overnight, a regular spiritual practice in this group. They sit nearly naked, in a circle, in below-freezing temperatures. They sit all night until the morning, using the Pranayam techniques taught to them over years, practiced regularly. They complete their overnight meditation and emerge covered in sweat. The strength of the breath is literally enough to keep them warm all night. This is very much how many enjoy the benefits of cold plunges, and the work done by Win Hof in the teaching of breath work is a significant example. Similarly, heat can be released when its presence is excessive, through different breathing techniques. This means that we can quite literally tap into inner power for the every-day challenges involving temperature, and once we experience that inner power, we begin to see others like it. We start to navigate the challenges of modern life from the place of inner empowerment.
So how can you start to practice Pranayam / breath work? A great yoga studio practice is a solid way to start, but if that is not available to you, please know that you can practice at home, in the car, or when you are outdoors as well. Just a few minutes of DAILY breath practice will be felt via a slew of positive physical and mental benefits, within a week of practice. There are some great examples of breathing techniques here: https://www.instagram.com/she_who_oms/ and I am also available to work with you to develop your own breath practice, one that addresses your specific needs!