Let's All Breathe Together

Some things require repeating again and again

Photo by César Couto on Unsplash

Namaste Friends,

Not only is there a lot of humidity in the air, there is also a lot of negativity. Wouldn’t you say? Political, economical, emotional and spiritual unrest is everywhere. I’m not here to talk about the details of the unrest - but I do want to talk about how Ayurveda can help ease some of the negativity that the world/earth is going through. The negativity within us, that is.

I read the following to myself everyday:

Ayurveda emphasizes the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit, recognizing that what I consume in all aspects of my life profoundly impacts my well-being. Just as I carefully consider the quality and quantity of food I eat to maintain physical health, I should also be mindful of the thoughts I entertain, the information I consume, and even the sounds I surround myself with.

In today's digital age, where information is constantly bombarding me from various sources, it's more important than ever to be discerning about what I allow into my mind. Just as unhealthy food can lead to physical ailments, consuming negative or toxic content can harm my mental and emotional well-being.

By being intentional about what I feed my mind—whether it's through the books I read, the conversations I engage in, the media I consume, or the thoughts I dwell on—I can cultivate greater mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall inner peace. It's about nourishing myself holistically, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. Ayurveda's holistic approach serves as a timeless reminder of the importance of aligning all aspects of my life for optimal health and well-being.

Photo by Michelle on Unsplash

Did you know there are many types of breathing that can be

Cooling or Energizing or Calming?

You don’t have to buy a book, or listen to a tape or buy any equipment - you can use what we have for free and simply harness it in a way that can calm our bodies, relax our souls and energize us to do what we want and have to do.

I don’t mean the breathing that we do without thinking. I mean breathe intentionally. The breath or Prana is a powerful thing.

Allow me to show off a little - I’ve been revising a module about some of the breathing techniques that were taught in my course for a certification to become an Ayurvedic Health Counselor. It just happens to be the following. I cannot memorize anything in my middle age to save my life - I have taken to printing things out and hanging them in places I can see them all day.

This is one such printout on the mirror next to my desk:

 PRĀṆĀYĀMA

 REGULATION AND CONTROL OF THE BREATH

1.PŪRAKA: INHALATION

 - having the qualities of energizing, awakening, and enlivening.

2.RECAKA: EXHALATION

 – having the qualities of surrender, releasing, and letting go.

3.KUMBHAKA: RETENTION

–having the function of absorption and expansion in the pranic channels when retention can be experienced in an unstrained fashion due to pranic pathways that are open and clear. 

All this is saying is that we can learn to regulate our breath by inhaling, exhaling and holding it in a certain way.

I am not an expert yet to teach anyone these techniques except practice on myself - but I want to encourage you to look into this if you ever feel like settling your mind, body or soul in a systematic manner.

I’ll share a simple technique that we can do easily without any training. Let’s call it

BALANCED BREATHING.

                           Try it for 5 minutes every morning and evening.

This is a gentle form of balancing the breath - moving from one nostril to the other. It's purpose is to make the respiratory rhythm more regular, which in turn has a soothing effect on the entire nervous system.
A few minutes of balanced breathing, sitting quietly with eyes closed, is very relaxing and often can leave you with a warm glow inside. It effortlessly focuses your attention inward and reduces the scattered thoughts and "noise" that usually fill the mind.

Find a comfortable chair that allows you to sit upright with your spine straight and both feet on the floor. Close your eyes, let your mind rest. With your right hand, place your thumb beside your right nostril, your two middle fingers beside your left nostril.

To perform the exercise, gently close one nostril, then the other, as you breathe normally.

 The basic rhythm is:
1. Gently close the right nostril with your thumb and slowly exhale through your left nostril. Inhale easily through your left nostril.
2. Close the left nostril with the middle two fingers and exhale through the right nostril. Inhale easily through your right nostril.
3. Alternate nostrils for 5 minutes. After that keep sitting comfortably for another 1 - 2 minutes. 
Just remember that you begin each breath on the exhale and finish on the inhale -- you don't need to take deep breaths. Just let your breathing come naturally but a little slower and deeper than usual. If at any time you feel like you need to breathe from your mouth - go ahead - then return to the nostril breathing when you are comfortable again. 

With that I leave you my friends - I hope we can all go inwards to find balance before we react to things happening outside ourselves.

Namaste!