Breath
"Through observing the breath, we can learn about our minds. "
Introduction
Defining Breath
If there is one thing that we all do, it is breathing!
Through the breath, we live our lives. So, life goes to where the breath goes, and through observing the quality of one's breath, one can learn about one's life.
In this article, we will explore the ways we can know more about ourselves through studying the quality of our breath.
Breath In Depth
For the body to function properly, oxygen is needed to fuel our cells. That is why we need to breathe consistently so that we can let air come into our body with oxygen and leave our body with carbon dioxide, which is a waste product resulting from the process.
Let us examine the breathing process.
Three aspects of the Breath:
1. Inhalation.
2. Exhalation.
3. No Breath
When the breath is naturally full rather than short, arhythmic, abrupt, then the process of taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide will happen efficiently, helping every part of the body, and also the mind, to function optimally.
So, realize that every part of the body is connected to the breath. Because without oxygen, the body parts will lack the energy to work and if the lack of oxygen is prolonged, the body will slowly die.
Improving the quality of our breath thus can help our body to function more efficiently. Improving the quality of the air we breathe in will also help as well.
It's important to consider these points because in breathing without thinking about it all the time, we can forget just how important the breath is to our lives. With or without it can mean the difference between life and death!
It can also be quite enlightening to know that out of all the internal organs of our body, the only part that we can manipulate with our will is the breath.
For instance, most, if not all of us, won't have the powers to tell our stomach to stop digesting, to increase our body temperatures at will, to make our eyes look further, to release the hormones we need, and so forth.
But controlling the lungs to take in and expel air—that we can do! Which is a good thing! Because if we can't control our breath, then the fate of our lives will be decided by the body's will!
And as we have the power to control our breath, we also have the power to improve it. And by improving the quality of our breath, we will be able to help improve our body functions, as the operations of the body are all dependent on the quality and amount of oxygen we take into the body.
Some things you can do now to improve the quality of your breath is to just relax. Take a deep breath and relax. And as you do this, you will become aware of the quality of your breath and naturally become aware of whether you are taking in too little breath or whether your breath is too fast or shallow.
You can also begin to clean up your rooms, your surroundings to improve the quality of air around you. Opening the windows will also help to replenish the stale air if you are always living with them closed. Sleeping with the windows slightly open can also help, though some may find it too cold.
Path Of Creator
Breath In Relation To The Path Of Creator
There are many breathing exercises one can do to improve the quality of their breath. In fact, if one searches for breathing exercises, one will be able to find traditional practices such as pranayama exercises to modern-day breathing techniques such as the Win Hof method. So, if one wishes to learn about breathing techniques, one can simply search for them because there are plenty of breathing techniques out there that can be helpful.
But on the journey of Self-Transformation, the destination is not so much about learning how to control our breath so that it is perfect all the time; rather, it is about becoming aware of the blockages that are causing one's breath to be imperfect.
By addressing these blockages, the breath will naturally return to its most natural state.
So, on the journey of Self-Transformation, the focus is on addressing the blockages rather than learning techniques to control the breath.
In fact, it's important to not control the breath so that one can become aware of one's blockages.
That is why the practice of meditation can help one greatly to become aware of one's blockages. Because by simply observing the breath as is—whether it is shallow, fast, slow, hot, cold, and so forth—by letting it flow as it wishes, one can learn to observe Reality as is. So, through the practice, one will become aware of the wandering thoughts that are happening in the mind in the moment, and at the same time, realize how different kinds of thoughts can affect the quality of one's breath.
With time, one will learn about the relationship between one's Body and Mind and realize from direct experience that the Body and Mind are always interconnected: affect the body and the mind will become affected; affect the mind and the body will become affected.
And with time, one will realize that the deepest cause for one to have an imperfect breath comes from one's Suffering States of the Mind.
One will realize that the more one has unaddressed suffering states of mind, the more the quality of one's breath will be negatively impacted.
For instance, when we are angry, our breathing can become irregular; when we are in fear, our breath can become agitated; when we feel heavily burdened by work, our breath can tense up, and so forth.
So from this perspective, the quality of our Breath will always offer us a reflection of the quality of our physical body and state of mind.
The more you encounter the stress of the mind, the more your breath will become stressed.
So, what is the solution to having the perfect breath?
Learn to be happy!
And of course, to be truly happy, one will have to address their suffering states of the mind.
So, the destination is to release all the causes of our stress and unhappiness so that the breath can flow through life as happily as the mind.
Know and Transform The Self!
Reading articles helps with understanding, but to transform the mind, one realizes the truth from experience.
For such an enlightening journey, the Self-Transformation Course has everything you will ever need!
