When was the last time we thought about how we breathe, when we breathe, where we breathe, why we breathe, what we breathe, and if we are breathing? It is an automatic involuntary process. Yet, we have the option to practice conscious breathing. We can control the length, depth, and speed of each inhale and exhale.
Biologically speaking, breathing is a rhythmic, involuntary process regulated by the body. Most of us do it about 12 to 20 times per minute. It’s kind of a requirement on the standard “staying alive” checklist.
But spiritually speaking, your breath is far more than that.
We all begin our lives in a state of peace, love, and kindness, in the womb, our safe spot, and through breathwork, it’s possible to return to that place.
The shaman Roman Hanis put this beautifully in his own words:
“Within many archaic languages, including Andean Quechua, Amazonian Quechua, Tibetan, Aramaic, Latin, Greek, Hawaiian and others, the word for “breath” is the same word that is used to describe life, spirit, and soul.”
This begs a question I’m always asking myself – what did the ancients know that we’ve forgotten? For thousands of years, up to this very day, people have used conscious breathwork for many reasons.
Here are just a few:
- To access healing and insight
- To expand consciousness
- To release stress or anxiety
- To re-energize the body
- To gain clarity and vision
- To connect with higher forces / spirit guides
Author Brian Vaszily has created a free eBook called Top 15 Breathwork Exercises that will show you effective breathing techniques that target different types of health benefits.
I highly recommend checking this out.
Blessings,
KJ Landis
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