The breath is the only bodily function that can run on autopilot via the autonomic nervous system OR be consciously controlled, which can ultimately change your life and state of wellbeing. Unfortunately, our day to day lives typically encourage a state of mindless hyperventilation or erratic breath, which in turn, affects the entire body and all of your bodily systems. Chronic, unhealthy breathing can lead to illness and disease. Consciously bringing your awareness to your breath and bringing it back to its natural rhythm brings the heart into a state of coherence, which then trickles down and brings the whole body back in to its natural rhythmic state of balance.
In Yoga, Pranayama is a conscious awareness of the breath and refers to the regulation of breathing which allows for a sense of control over the entire body. An ancient yogi, Yogi Ramacharaka, wrote the “Hindu-Yogi Science of Breath”, and quoted ancient Yogis who knew that harnessing the power of rhythmic breathing is the precursor to achieving optimal health in your physical and mental states and can even enhance spiritual and psychic experiences. The Sanskrit word “prana” refers to breath, or life force and the word “ayama”, refers to “control”.
Rhythmic breathing means to align your breath with a natural rhythm, not unlike the rhythm of an ocean tide, coming in and receding, or the natural rhythm of a flower opening and closing, and even the rhythms of the planets, sun and moon circling each other in natures perfect symphony. Rhythmic breathing is the first step in a deeper breath work practice, which, on it’s own, can result in a tremendous amount of health benefits and healing of the body. With more advanced practices, you are connecting deeper to your mind-body connection and ultimately able to transform your life, enlightening and igniting your souls purpose.
So how do we do rhythmic breathing? Simple. First, tune in to your breath, making sure we are breathing in and out through the nose and breathing into the belly, engaging the diaphragm. Your breath should be continuous and uninterrupted, with the ultimate goal being a silent, smooth, constant rhythm, eliminating any pause between the breaths and without any force or strain. The more silent and smooth the breath is, the better your 02 efficiency and C02 tolerance which equals tremendous health benefits.
If you haven’t tried a Soma Breath Daily Dose Breath work and Meditation session, its a beautiful and empowering way to tap into that rhythmic breathing and will take you places you never thought possible, if you surrender and let it. Below is a link to one I created, or feel free to check out Soma Breath on YouTube, as they offer a ton of free education and sessions, as well. If you want go ahead and jump in, the link to Soma Breath is also below!
Breath easy, friend, and make your breath work FOR you!
Namaste, Cindy
skinposium 