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The Self cannot be found in books. You have to find it for yourself in yourself.
RAMANA MAHARSHI
Pranna is a Sanskrit term that translates to Lifeforce or vital energy. It refers to the universal energy that flows in and around our bodies, believed to be the breath and the sustaining force of life itself.
In my practice when I teach patients to breathe with their diaphragm, for some, it is extremely challenging. They are perpetually in fight or flight state. People quite often have held on for so long in their diaphragm that it’s foreign for them to let go of the tension . For some they have a hard time contracting their diaphragm which results in the outward movement of the belly forfeiting diaphragmatic breathing for an image of the body.
We should try to reserve using our accessory breathing muscles for when we need them. Situations involving exercise or short term fight or flight situations. People with airway pathologies rely continually on primary and secondary muscles to breathe.
Breathing is the monitor of the nervous system. When we meditate, we align ourselves with diaphragmatic breathing ,stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, and deep relaxation.
Our breath is a constant. Focussing with intentional breath helps to still the mind and stay in the present moment. People are often lost in thought, living in the past, continually reliving past mistakes or repetitively thinking of the futures uncertainty’s. People have a tendency to get sucked into this type of mind chatter that continually takes the person away from living in the present moment. Unresolved past traumas are related. Resolving traumas that have impacted us either physically, emotionally or spiritually helps us to move through the control it has over us....
Remember the autonomic nervous system is comprised of three systems, the parasympathetic nervous system, sympathetic nervous system and the enteric nervous system. During deep breathing in meditation, we affect the vagus nerve which is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system which governs rest and relaxation. This is how we attain deep relaxation.
Parasympathetic nervous system stimulation, which is diaphragmatic breathing is focused, attentive, intentional work with your breath on a specific muscle, which is your diaphragm.
When the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated, heart rate, blood pressure and respiration decrease. Digestion increases.
While focussing on this particular breath, you are triggering the rest and relaxation response.
Why we count our breath during meditation.
Counting gives the mind something to do because the mind always has to have something to do. It’s generally controlling us so we give it a job to count. The mind is now preoccupied with a job that we gave it. Now the mind is not controlling us. Our mind cannot control us unless we allow it to.
When we take this position we are preventing the mind from doing two things:
1. Reverting to the past, bringing up negative situations . The mind has the ability to focus on the negative.
2. Fast forwarding to the future, a time that has yet to unfold
Focussing on the breath, we remain here, now in the present.
Fear keeps us focussed on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are OK. Right now today, we are still alive and our bodies still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.
THICH NHAT HANH
Sanskrit, “pranayama” life energy and “yama” means control. The practice of pranayama involves breathing exercises and patterns. You purposely inhale, exhale and hold your breath in a specific sequence. In yoga, pranayama is used with other practises like physical, postures and meditation.
One of my favourite ways to count with breath is beginning with an inhalation and taking it to the end range holding this to the count of four then slowly exhale and blowing every bit of air out of your lungs by pulling your abdomen into your spine holding for four seconds.
You can build on this by inhaling to the count of four, holding for four, exhaling to the count of four, holding for four. Repeat.
Deep slow, breathing nourishes our brain with more oxygen, enhancing clarity , focus and concentration.
Our breath is always there. Our breath has the potential to do so much more than keeping us alive. I feel that it’s worth exploring our breath.
I know for me, when I take a deep breath for no other reason than to breathe, I instantly relax.
Thank you for the power of the breath for with it we can live quiet and present.
At any given moment you have the power to say: this is not how the story is going to end.
CHRISTINE MASON MILLER
