|
|
Ask the expert |
 | | |
|
|
Find your breath |
|
|
By Alison
Finney | | |
| |
|
Why is it important to breathe
deeply?
Full, deep breathing is the key to
enhancing your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
Watch a baby breathe. You will see that as she inhales, her
belly fills with air, like a balloon, and her chest rises. As
she exhales, her chest and belly sink down. This is our
natural breath.
As we grow older, we lose this
technique and begin to shut down. We unconsciously tighten our
muscles and restrict our breathing. We discover that the less
we breathe, the less we feel. As adults, our breath tends to
be small and shallow, mostly in the chest, with little visible
movement.
The good news is you can change this. By
directing
your breathing and learning to work with it, you can
regain what has been lost. You can learn to let go of the
patterns of worry and tension that hold you back and return to
your natural breathing, like a baby.
It's no
coincidence that meditation
techniques use breathing. Breathing is restorative. It
cleanses toxins from the body and mind. It can help you worry
less and reduce tension. You will feel stronger and be able to
think more clearly.
Alison Finney is a certified hatha and kundalini
yoga teacher in Ottawa. She is registered with the Yoga
Alliance and the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers
Association and is the founder of PranaShanti, a health and
yoga resource. For more information, visit www.pranashanti.com.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 more ask the expert |
|
|
| |
|
|
