Breathe, just breathe

BREATHE, just breathe..

As we journey through life our breath guides us. 

How often do you focus on your breath? Closing your eyes, feeling the coolness of the breath in your nostrils, pausing and letting it sit, then exhaling to feel the warmth across your lips. Try and notice. No judgement, no set expectations, just breathe. The photo to the right was taken at a dear friends homestead last fall as I was doing a walking meditation. I found myself moving slowly, inhaling and exhaling at a very relaxed pace, stopping along the way to listen to all that surrounded me. When my journey came to a close, I found that the chatter in my mind had subsided. I was at peace. (The caption underneath the photo will take you to a website where you can listen to meditation music, close your eyes, and breathe).

One does not have to be a practitioner of yoga to take a serious look at how we breathe. I have found that in my daily life I can now recognize my breath.  When frustrated or stressed, my breath is short and quick, which coincides with my heart rate. When meditating or practicing certain yoga asanas, my breath is slow and calm, again coinciding with my heart beat. It doesn't take much to reflect that our breath and our life choices play off of each other. What we have to decide is which path do we want to take?

Strengthening our Immunity and Respiratory System thru our yoga practice. 
The asanas within this practice focus on strengthening the front and back of your chest, stimulating the lungs, and thymus gland (which is the seat of the immune system). Benefit: reduces both mental and physical fatigue and as we all know; healthy lungs-healthy body.

Pranayama Breathing Technique
Kapalabhati Breathing is wonderful "internal cleansing technique" for our lungs.
Kapalabhati consists of alternating short, explosive exhales and slightly longer, passive inhales. Exhales are generated by powerful contractions of the lower belly (between the pubis and navel), which push air out of the lungs. Inhales are responses to the release of this contraction, which sucks air back into the lungs

Kapalabhati Breathing Video 

Do 25 to 30 cycles at first. Gradually increase the number of cycles you do each practice to 100 or more.

Asanas which strengthen and stimulate the lungs
These asanas open the front and back of the chest stimulating the lungs adn opening the Heart Chakra (Anahata).  One of the many benefits of healthy lungs is reducing the effects of asthma.

Tadasana: Mountain
Pada Hastasana: Hand to feet  (gorilla or big toe w/peace fingers)
Virabhandrasana Poses: Warrior I/II
Trikonasana: Triangle
Matsyasana: Fish Pose
Bhujangasana: Cobra

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana: Supported Backbend

Pavanmuktasana: Wind Relieving Pose
Baddha Konasana: Butterfly
Navasana: Boat
Balasana: Child's Pose
Vrksasana: Tree
Upavisthasana Konasana: Wide Legged Forward Bend
Anjaneyasana: Crescent Lunge
Paschimottanasana: Seated Forward Bend

  Love to hear from you. Thanks: Debra 

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Resources: 
Kapalbhati Breathing: https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/skull-shining-breath
Supported Backbend photo: http://www.yogagroup.org/relax.html