Why I’m such a believer in breathing!
When I’m sitting there channelling my breath, that’s the only thing my mind focuses on. When the breath starts to shift gears, propelling itself to the top of that hill there is no preoccupation ahead. As soon as the breath rounds the corner, and heads down the hill the physical sensations start to swell. The energetic shifts are immediate, and there’s not a worry in the world.
Following the breath, changing its pace, and using it to my advantage feels powerful. It inspires optimism! I feel like my whole body is charged from the inside out. Each cell has been transformed. That’s right, when we breathe it impacts the smallest molecules of our bodies.
The recycling of air – the intake of oxygen – the expel of carbon dioxide replenishes each cell, allowing more time for oxygen absorption and more time to complete the elimination of co2.
Did you know, we need both oxygen and carbon dioxide in order to absorb the nutrients of our air completely? Carbon dioxide supports in ‘unleashing’ the oxygen transferred from our lungs to our blood cells. We need both molecules present in order to optimally breathe, replenish our vitality, and continue on with living our best life.
Each breath is like the cycle of life & death. We are born on an inhale. How inspiring! We die on an exhale. How brilliant! Each exhale is a mini-death of what we don’t need; when we consciously breathe and manipulate our breath, we can intentionally bring forth what we want to slough off. Don’t be afraid of the mini-deaths, for there is life and abundance waiting for you on the return of the inhale. The in breath amplifies, it rejuvenates, it fills space.
Another really cool and slightly nerdy thing about the breath is that we feel physiological impacts from the breath cycle. When we breathe in, our nervous system stimulates and our heart rate increases ever so slightly. When we breath out, our nervous system responds again and our heart rate decreases ever so slightly. Do you know what that’s called? Heart Rate Variability (HRV)! Why is that so cool? Well, because when we have a broader range of HRV, we have better heart health (which leads to every other form of health like: immunity, emotional response, respiratory health, etc). We measure HRV by noting how many beats per minute are happening and studies have shown that people who breathe – like breathwork type breathing – have a broader range from low beats per minute (BPM) to high BPM. I don’t know about you, but that makes me super excited and willing to stay motivated to breathe better, stronger, and longer!
There is so much more information and evidence being recorded now about breathing, breathwork, and pranayama (the Sanskrit word for breathwork and more literally translated to ‘energy control’). Whether you feel the shifts in your own body as anecdotal evidence, or you find a captivating podcast, or read an article on PubMed, breathwork is a tool everybody needs in their toolkit. Breathwork is for everybody and everyone can do it! *There are some contraindications with certain health conditions and patterns of breath that would need to be discussed with your breathwork teacher prior to starting i.e. high/low blood pressure, COPD, pregnancy, etc. That’s how freaking powerful the breath is – it’s literally controlling energy!!!
Have I sparked your interest?
Breathe with me every 1st Saturday of the month. Make sure to check our class schedule for updates and registration
Habitual Yoga Space
422 Water Street
Eau Claire, WI 54703
