By Heather McCauley
Breathing is just one of those things our body does without us thinking. The problem is that most of us are doing it wrong. I mean that we have forgotten how to breathe in order to receive the maximum benefits for our body and mind. As infants, we breathe deeply and correctly. As we grow older and life’s obligations steal our attention, we teach ourselves the shorthand version of breathing. Although this serves to keep us alive, it does not promote optimum health nor allow us to connect with our Source.
Our bodies’ primary requirement is oxygen. We can survive only minutes without oxygen, as opposed to days without water and weeks without food. Oxygen is required for nearly all of our bodies’ efforts. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, picking up cellular waste and toxins on their way back to the heart. If these cells return to the heart oxygen-deficient, it is difficult to expel the toxins – and they can remain in the body, eventually causing malignancy and disease. Molecular biologist Dr. Stephen Levine states, "...In all serious disease states we find a … low oxygen state. Low oxygen in the body tissues is a sure indicator for disease. Hypoxia, or lack of oxygen in the tissues, is the fundamental cause for all degenerative disease."
In order to practice conscious breathing (also called diaphragmatic breathing), find a comfortable and quiet place to lie on your back. Place one hand on your abdomen below the waistline. Place the other hand on your upper chest. When inhaling, you should strive for the lower hand to noticeably raise, the lower spine to curve slightly, and your upper hand to move very little. Exhaling should be a more lengthy process and should expel your lungs and belly completely. Conscious Breathing by Gay Hendricks is an excellent resource for more information.
By practicing conscious breathing daily, you will easily clear your mind and achieve deeper states of meditation. You will also likely achieve reduced stress, lowered blood pressure, optimized metabolism, enhanced waste and toxin elimination and strengthened muscles, organs and tissues, especially the heart. I have often heard the expressions, “breath of life” or “breath equals life”. Whether you are a scientist or a metaphysician, there is profound truth in these words – as well as irrefutable evidence qualifying them as factual statements rather than mere expressions.
Siona added: “I want to personally recommend Gay Hendricks book. He was a university professor for many years, like I was full-time for 10 years. But I had read his book previously, and it contained exercises that helped me deal with very stressful situations at work. The stress never went away, but while I was there people died, had strokes, and were committed to mental institutions, (all three happened in a 2 year period to people in my dept.) so I can say that breathing correctly enabled me to cope, by tuning in to the universe, instead of the negative environment around me. He has revised the book into a kit called The Breathing Box.”
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