By Petra Šafranko |
Take in a deep breath, rejuvenate and - heal |
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We all know that breathing is the most important natural process.
The average person can live without food for about three weeks, without water for about three days and without oxygen for only three minutes!
Life begins and ends with breathing.
One of the major problems of modern man is irregular breathing, or the use of only 30-40% of their lung capacity.
This is one reason why our bodies get tired, why we have many diseases and a loss of energy and zest for life.
The small amount of oxygen which is brought into the body through improper breathing or so-called chest breathing causes the choking and cellular death, making the body start aging early.
Breathing exercises are an ideal solution for preserving mental and physical health, vitality and youthfulness.
A medicine for all diseases
For every disease there is a cure, and breathing is the key to achieving perfect health and a long and happy life.
Breathing techniques can revitalize and rejuvenate your body and mind.
When you learn how to breathe correctly and practice breathing techniques, you create a positive mind-set and a healthy body free of disease.
It has also been found that breathing can help cure severe and even "incurable" diseases such as lung tumours, heart problems and AIDS, among others.
Pranayama - the ancient science of breath
Prana is the life force that permeates the entire universe, whereas "yama" means control.
Pranayama is a breathing technique that stimulates and increases vital energy and leads to perfect control of prana through the body and thus keeps the body healthy.
These techniques allow for the optimal functioning of the endocrine, nervous and digestive systems and mental and physical stability.
By practicing breath control, you can learn to control finer energies in the body and thus achieve complete control of the mind.
Surely you've noticed that your breathing patterns are associated with your emotional and mental states.
If you pay attention, you will realize that you breathe deeply and slowly when you are relaxed or when you concentrate, and faster when you are excited or angry.
Breathing is an important bridge between the mind and body, and breath can affect both.
Our brain needs three times more oxygen than other organs. If you do not get enough oxygen, your body draws it from other organs.
Oxygen uptake activates neurons in the brain and activates the pineal and pituitary glands that open the door to unlimited mental potential.
Abdominal breathing - a technique of ancient civilizations
The ancient civilizations knew that exercising conscious control over the breath stimulates and increases vital energy.
According to the beliefs of Indian yogis, life force, prana, flows through us and permeates the entire universe.
Children naturally breathe with their stomach, but as a person grows up, he loses the habit of abdominal breathing.
The breath becomes more shallow and short and lung capacity gets smaller (so-called forced breathing).
In thoracic breathing only the upper third of the lungs is filled and the body invests more energy for chest expansion than in abdominal breathing.
During abdominal breathing the diaphragm is pulled downwards before the breath.
The abdomen expands in all directions and therefore such breathing is called belly breathing.
Such breathing not only takes in more oxygen, but requires less effort for breathing and at the same time massages the internal organs.
The abdomen contains 2/3 of the total volume of blood.
The rhythmic movements of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles press the organs, helping the abdomen pump and run the blood and lymph through the body.
Thus, it relieves the heart that works more quietly and with less effort, while improving circulation.
How to do the exercises?
There are many breathing techniques, from simple ones that you can learn yourself, to very complex ones which teachers of different systems of yoga train as well as other techniques around the world.
The best time to perform breathing exercises is early in the morning, just after sunrise.
The simplest of these is the complete technique of deep breathing.
Perform this in an upright seated position.
Breathe deeply with the whole belly, middle part of the chest and then the upper part.
When you inhale slowly your belly will be jutting out, and on the exhale it goes back towards the spine.
Such breathing gently massages the internal organs, stimulates digestion, regulates the functioning of the kidneys, and relaxes and lowers blood pressure.
With the inhalation of large quantities of air during a short performance of the exercise, the body will be supplied with a greater amount of precious oxygen, and thus with a greater amount of energy.
The pleasure of breathing with full lungs
Although air is free, and accessible, its quality is an important factor in the effectiveness of breathing techniques.
Performing breathing exercises outdoors, under a tree or at the sea with the smell of salt, aromatic plants and the presence of essential oils has a particularly beneficial effect on our vitality and energy.
The air in these places is especially packed with negative ions which have positive effects on the human body.
Breathing with full lungs in a natural environment affects the release of the hormones that cause happiness, and will awaken any dormant innate sense of connection with nature.
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