It All Begins With a Breath

It has also begun with breath

Source: innerchildout

Or, in the yoga world, it's called pranayama. It's what connects everything, from our spinal cord to our muscles, our nervous system to our consciousness, it connects everything. Breath is a perspective shifter. A center holder.

I feel passionately about learning to breathe. Not the shallow, anxiety-ridden breath we all have come to accept as our norm. I'm talking the real, life-enhancing inhale and exhale.

One, true deep breath can shift us from using our sympathetic nervous system - the flight or fight response we have during anxious or stressful times (most of our 24/7 status), to a parasympathetic nervous system - homeostasis of body and mind. ONE deep breath! 

Scholarly article on pranayama and nervous system for all you fellow anatomy/physiology/science nerds found HERE

There's no way we can begin to focus on our body as a point of finding it's strength and it's grace if we don't know how to fuel it with the proper breath. 

We will get into all the fun tidbits of how this whole breathing thing will benefit you in infinitely many other phenom ways, but for now, let's just say it's because proper, mindful movement requires it. 

Try: Cleansing breath = 5 minutes

Sit nice and tall. Wherever you are. You can disappear into the bathroom and do this, promise no one will notice or mind (or they'll envy your healthy digestive system). 

Breathe into your nose and fill up as much as you can. Hold your breath for 2-3 seconds - a blissful pause of nothing - then exhale audibly out of your mouth, like a gasp or like you're fogging up a window. 

Are you ready?

Breathe in through the nose.......hold it......exhale 'ahhhhhh....' pause for a moment. Repeat. 

Learn to breathe properly, learn to move properly. Simple and true. 

-Abby Larson