Just Breathe - Is This Your Missing Link ?

Breathing is the vital force of life. It is considered to be the mind-body bridge. Breathing is something that is done everyday, unconsciously; yet the majority of people do it improperly. When babies breathe, it is instinctive. Watching a healthy baby while sleeping, one may notice the deep breaths that are taken which fill up the diaphragm and move up into the lungs. As a person ages, bad habits are picked up, health often declines, nutrition worsens, and stress overwhelms the proper function of breathing. The word pranayama means "that which extends infinitely everywhere". It is the practice of prana or breath. The breath begins at an energy center inside and extends throughout the body to keep one alive. We exercise our bodies, but what about our breathing?

The balanced and peaceful individual is said to have more prana dispersed within the body rather than outside of the body. An image of a breath center with arrows pointing outward but staying within the boundaries of the physical being is one way to imagine an individual with healthy prana. It is thought that, when the prana remains in the body, the individual is free of physical symptoms. If one feels ill, anxious, restless, or discontented, the prana is at a greater force externally than within. This can show up in a variety of warning signs, from the overt physical manifestations, to the mental feelings of depression, lack of motivation, etc?

The state of mind is directly connected to breathing. The quality of our breath influences the state of our mind and vice-versa. They are one and the same. The most obvious example here would be the quality of breath in a stressful situation. The mind is overloaded with worries and the breath, in turn, becomes rapid, shallow, and sometimes even forgotten altogether. If the breath is used deeply and in a proper manner, the mind's focus is taken away from the situation at hand and placed back into a state of peacefulness which shows an immediate reciprocation in the calming of the breath and the mind.

Humans generally, and often unknowingly, pollute themselves and the Earth with toxic substances and various forms of rubbish whether it is in what is consumed, or in what is allowed in the mind. Breathing suffers because of this. Breath, the very most important thing that bodies need besides water, is neglected or contaminated. When the body is filled with debris, breathing suffers, as there is not enough room for it to flourish in the body. A daily breathing practice, along with the other important aspects of a healthy lifestyle, can free the body of detrimental breathing patterns and reverse the process of destruction brought upon by our modern day society.

Breathing exercises are excellent tools that can even be used in everyday situations. In many instances, especially those entrenched in fear, anger, or stress, breathing will help to diffuse the state of mind that may cause a reaction or statement that is contrary to a balanced way of life. The exercises can also be used before speeches or performances that may be otherwise anxiety-ridden. Breathing exercises can be used in childbirth preparation and, hopefully, during labor to reduce the intensity of the baby's birth. The benefits of pranayama are numerous and one who exercises the breath can only hope to have an opportunity to delve deeper into this realm that holds so much significance in our existence on this Earth.

Prana is life and pranayama is its exaltation. One should begin by becoming familiar with the breath and noticing the times when the breath is shallow; be the breath observer. It is recommended to begin breathwork with a qualified teacher (registered yoga teachers are trained in pranayama). As with anything, the more one practices, the more it becomes automatic and a way of life. How can we deny the breath its proper exercise and practice? The next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, remember to take the phrase "just breathe" seriously as it may be that one body-mind-spirit link that you are missing.

"When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath."(Hatha Yoga Pradipika)

Deborah L. Shipley, RYT
Deborah is a Registered Yoga Teacher and a writer of the free monthly e-zine Self Esteem: Shining from Within. If you would like to contact her please visit her website: http://www.quizforselfesteem.com her blog hosted e-zine site: http://www.quizforselfesteem.com or e-mail her at http://www.quizforselfesteem.com

Alto Pass chicago limos ..
In The News:

Finalists for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Nonfiction, aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in nonfiction publishing, were unveiled on Wednesday.
Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson breaks down whether the government is watching citizens and what they can do to protect online privacy.
A benchmarking group for artificial intelligence has released new results evaluating the speed of hardware in running AI applications and responding to users.
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane provides a glimpse into the future of space travel. Traveling to space may become a part of everyday life.
The new European Hyperloop Center in the Netherlands aims bring in a new era of transportation. The center will use a steel tube as a proving ground for testing the new vehicle.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
While it may be incredibly tempting to have a “go with the flow" mindset like the rest of your vacation, your technology definitely should not be compromised while traveling.
Have you ever accidentally deleted an app from your iPhone that you’ve already paid for? Don't worry. We’ve got a trick that will help you get it back without having to buy it again.
Apple's new Journal app has raised privacy concerns among Apple's userbase. Tech expert Kim Komando examines social media rumors and explains what steps to take to protect yourself.
Although Facebook has denied that our phones listen to us, they do have other ways of finding out what we are talking about, listening to and searching for.
With the integration of OpenAI technology, Figure 01 has taken a significant leap forward, showcasing the potential of robots to understand and interact with us on a personal level.
Port Ellen, newly reopened whisky distillery in Scotland, is using SmokeDNAi technology to understand mouth-feel and flavors during the whisky maturation process.
Telly, a smart TV firm, is promising to give out their 4K 55-inch TV for free. What must you give in return? The innovative, yet potentially unsettling, answer might shock you.
The moment a spam invite hits your calendar, it’s like an uninvited guest at a party. So, what do you do? Show it the door.
Identity thieves are now targeting children and are making large sums of money by exploiting children's identities, possibly hurting their financial future.
There's a clever way to change the notification sounds on your Android without having to look at your screen. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
If your bank accounted has been hacked, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent it from happening again. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The Wave House, a data center in Heidelberg, Germany, is the the largest 3D-printed building in Europe. Its walls were built in about 140 hours.
Some government agencies around the world are struggling to meet their staffing goals when it comes to hiring artificial intelligence experts.
Google Maps' recent upgrades have introduced real-time ETA and turn-by-turn directions to your phone's lock screen while you are traveling.
Kat Cammack says AI could disrupt the 2024 election. A report says shared AI image tools generate election disinformation in 41% of cases and voting disinformation in 59% of cases.
Deepfakes have become commonplace, and the technology is only getting better, but there are certain elements that might give away the fact that an image is AI-generated.
A stealthy technology known as EM Eye allows eavesdropping on your home security cameras, according to Northeastern University researchers.
Give your iPhone an extra layer of security. Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the easy steps for changing the security passcode on your iPhone.

What The Most Dangerous Job In The World Taught Me About Coping With Stress

I just got through reading some troubling news in the... Read More

Stress & Burnout: The Adrenal Factor

I was a psychotherapist for... Read More

Is Worry Necessary?

Who hasn't experienced "worry" at one time or another? Almost... Read More

12 Proven Ways To Relieve Stress Today!

Do you feel that you just don't have the time... Read More

Ease Your Stress ? Change Your Life!

Feeling stressed? Who isn't!! In today's society, feeling "stressed out,"... Read More

Practical Ways to Bring Enchantment into Your Life

THE ENCHANTED SELF? teaches you how to access positive states... Read More

Break Up Your Day And Become More Productive

Often, in today's fast paced world, we forget to take... Read More

Human Conditiong, Stress Management and Music

The predominant role human conditioning plays in a stressful environment.... Read More

Seven Simple Steps to a Stress-Free Start

Most of us lead busy lives, trying to successfully juggle... Read More

Stress Management: KYFM - Keep Your Feet Moving

One of my favorite stories about change is the story... Read More

10 Ways to Benchmark Workplace Stress

With almost 50% of workers complaining that their jobs are... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: Frustration or Fascination

"Learn how to turn frustration into fascination. You will learn... Read More

What is Stress?

Stress is an interpretation of an event or circumstance which... Read More

7 Tips to Relieve Stress At Work

Do you feel stress at work? Do you carry your... Read More

Squeeze To Relax!

This heading may seem like a contradiction in terms. How... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: Breakdown or Breakthrough?

Q: "My career, though very very stressful, is one that... Read More

7 Solutions for Practical Stress Management

Stress is amazingly persistent, even seductive. We get used to... Read More

Are You Stressing Yourself by Thinking Too Much?

Why is it that some people become totally stressed when... Read More

Destressing Your Life!

Do you have stress in your life?......I know you answered... Read More

Social Phobia

Imagine going through your whole life in the constant fear... Read More

Stress- What Is It?

Whenever we think of 'stress', negative thoughts come into our... Read More

Stress Management: How to Use the Power of Focus

Here's a fun little experiment:Take a few seconds and look... Read More

Myth Busting: What Causes Mental Breakdown?

I came out of a nightmare 5-year period of anxiety... Read More

Stress - A Modern Cause of Disease

Every day we are faced with a situation where our... Read More

10 Ways to Monitor Corporate Stress Levels

10 Ways to Monitor Corporate Stress LevelsGood military leaders work... Read More

Alto Pass cool limo ..