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Breathing Is for Living: Part 2
We have established previously that the breath is not only vital to the survival of our physical being, but that it is also vital to the sustenance and maintenance of our spiritual and emotional bodies.
When the breath is fluid within us, encountering no obstacles or blockages, we can utilize the oxygen, prana and renewing energy of the breath, unencumbered. In this case, the breath is pure nourishment. It feeds all of our systems, physical and other, allowing us to be ready and available for whatever the day asks of us.
We become ready for physical activity, we are full of vitality for emotional interactions…spiritual openness flows through us. Our intuition is free and clear of encumbrance to its purity and clarity.
The breath is therefore required for physical survival and is equally available to support our emotional survival.
Pause for a moment… contemplate your breath as it is right now. Close your eyes and become aware of the sensation of the breath as it flows in, and as it flows out. Be aware of how it is entering your body. Are you breathing in through your nose or through your mouth?
Where does the breath flow to next? Can you feel it moving through your throat, into your chest, or into other parts of your body? Do you notice that it flows easily in some places, and becomes glitchy, shortened or strained in others? Do not be aggressive or judgmental with this evaluation and assessment…you are observing how you breathe, no more and no less. There is no “right” or “wrong” to the way you are breathing.
There is a way to become aware of how you do breathe, and to become aware of what that means to you in your life. These are some of the things that we will continue to explore.
Before I asked, were you thinking about your breathing at all? Or was it flowing in and out of your body without conscious awareness on your part? I am by no means suggesting that we have to be aware of the breath in every moment. But we can be.
Imagine what it would be like if you always had some sort of awareness of your breath. You would always know, through a part of your consciousness that is also tuned into other things, how your breath was flowing (or not flowing)
Our breathing reflects the way we feel, physically and emotionally. It is a constant source of information about how we are doing in any given moment. Pay attention to your breath for five minutes at a time, at intervals throughout your day. Notice if you are at ease or agitated, and then notice what the flow of your breath is like at those times.
Notice if there is a correlation between the breath, happiness, or stress. In the next discussion, I’ll start to describe how to utilize the breath for comfort, and how to create equanimity and action depending on what you want.
The breath will develop into a voice for your needs and a solution to some of your questions.
Check in with your breathing now and then. Make note of what is happening around you and inside you, and how it correlates to your breathing. Allow this exploration to be interesting and fun! See what it can inform you about.
[tags]breathing, conscious, correlation, happiness, stress, flowing [/tags]