MASTER YOUR BREATH

Breath is essential to life. The body is an active living container for the breath as it moves in and out. Our muscles open up space in our core to pull fresh air in and then close down to push the old air out. This expansion and contraction also massages the inner organs, aids digestion, and promotes the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid. 

If you can control the Breath you can completely control all the forces of the Universe, mental and physical. 

Did you know that the vital capacity is the capacity shown by the largest quantity of air a man can inhale after the deepest possible exhalation? 

Breath is the most intimate experience we make with our body and a vital bodily function next to eating. The energy in the body is pure Life Force, also called Prana. Prana is derived from Sanskrit and means Life Force.

By controlling the motion of the lungs or respiratory organs, we can control the Prana that is vibrating inside. By control of Breath, the mind can be easily controlled, because the mind is fastened to the energy in the body, like the bird to the string.

It is our divine breath – the vital life force present in all things. The energy of air is subtle energy which travels through the channels in the body. 

• Do you experience changes in your mood or personality?
• Do you have difficulty with memory, including the ability to recall facts, names of objects and/or people, and faces?
• Is it difficult for you to learn new information or recall autobiographical facts?
• Are you experiencing changes in your motor skills, like you may struggle to walk, write, or engage in other functions?
• Have you been through medical examinations for feeling like having chronic pain without finding a cause for it? When the brain is damaged, it may incorrectly process pain signals, causing you to feel pain even when there is not an injury.
• Do you experience the inability to feel pain, or to correctly respond to pain signals?(Ex.: for instance, pain in your arm might feel like pain in your leg).
• Are you facing difficulties with impulse control due to addictions, or aggressive behavior, or sexually inappropriate compulsions?
• Are you suffering from depression or anxiety?

If you have answered one or more of those questions with a “YES”, chances are high that your brain receives less oxygen than it needs, but is not completely deprived of oxygen.

NOW: 

Take a deep breath to the count of four, expanding your belly. Pause to the count of seven. 

Exhale slowly to the count of five. 

Repeat four times.

Congratulations. You’ve just calmed your nervous system.

Controlled breathing, like what you just practiced, has been shown to reduce stress, increase alertness and boost your immune system. 

When you take slow, steady breaths, your brain gets the message that all is well and activates the parasympathetic response. When you take shallow rapid breaths or hold your breath, the sympathetic response is activated.

For centuries yogis have used breath control, or pranayama, to promote concentration and improve vitality. Buddha advocated breath-meditation as a way to reach enlightenment.

How Long Can the Brain Go Without Oxygen? 

A man takes naturally fifteen breaths in a minute. The total number of breaths comes to 21,600 times per day. The brain represents just 2% of a person’s body weight, yet it uses about 20% of the body’s oxygen supply. Without it, the brain can’t perform even the most basic functions. The brain relies on glucose to power the neurons that control everything from conscious functions like planning and thought to automatic, unconscious processes like managing heart rate and digestion.

Without oxygen, the brain’s cells cannot metabolize glucose, and therefore cannot convert glucose into energy. 

On a timeline:

• Between 30-180 seconds of oxygen deprivation, you may lose consciousness.
• At the one-minute mark, brain cells begin dying.
• At three minutes, neurons suffer more extensive damage, and lasting brain damage becomes more likely.
• At five minutes, death becomes imminent.
• At 10 minutes, even if the brain remains alive, a coma and lasting brain damage are almost inevitable.
• At 15 minutes, survival becomes nearly impossible.

BENEFITS:

A regular practice of breathing techniques brings good appetite, cheerfulness, handsome figure, good strength, courage, enthusiasm, a high standard of health, vigour and vitality and good concentration of mind. Mastery of the Breath, also known in the yoga practice as Pranayama, is quite suitable for the Westerners also. 

A Yogi measures the span of his life not by the number of years but by the number of his breaths. 

You can take in a certain amount of energy or Prana from the atmospheric air along with each breath.

In this sessions you will experience different techniques:

BREATH OF JOY (3 part in – HA sound out)

General benefits:

Awaken your whole system, calm and focus your mind, and ease depression with an energizing breathing practice. It serves increasing oxygen levels in the bloodstream, temporarily stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, circulating more life force, and gently stocking digestive fire. A forceful exhalation lightly detoxifies the body and helps release pent-up tension

THREE PART YOGIC BREATH (DIRGHA PRANAYAMA)

Breath has three domains. 

The first is the area of the lower spine, lower abdomen, and pelvis.This is called the domain of the Divine, the area of vitality. 

The second area of the rib cage, thoracic spine, thoracic diaphragm, and heart. This is called the Domain of the Sustainer.

The third area extends from the upper back and collarbones, through the neck into the head. This is called the domain Shiva, the Liberator.

General benefits:

Dirgha Pranayama uses the full capacity of the lungs, removing stale air and toxins. It keeps the chest and lungs flexible and relaxed. It increases overall energy, renews the entire system, and improves digestion and elimination.

“HA” BREATH to relax

General benefits:

This breath releases stress and tension from the body. Notice the effects of lengthening the inhale vs. lengthening the exhale.

“HA” BREATH to energize

General benefits:

Activates the Hara center, the power center just below the navel, and brings energy into the body.

BREATH OF FIRE (KAPALABHATI PRANAYAMA)

General benefits:

Kapalabhati strengthens the abdominal muscles, diaphragm and heart. It deeply massages the internal organs, stimulates digestion and elimination. It removes stale air and toxins from the lungs and pumps fresh prana into all cells of the body. It energizes, massages, and cleanses the central nervous system, bringing mental clarity, alertness.

OCEAN SOUNDING BREATH (UJJAYI PRANAYAMA)

General benefits:

Ocean Sounding Breath is deeply relaxing and soothing. The breath is lengthened and the air is drawn to the bottom of the longs. The mind becomes absorbed and focused by the sound which induces meditation. It heightens awareness and enhances creativity.

NADI SHODHANA: ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATH

General benefits:

Alternate Nostril Breath stimulates the brain side-to side, synchronizes the hemispheres, and balances any dominance. It strengthens, calms, and regulates the nadis (the nervous system), eliminates wastes and increases assimilation of energy. If you experience dizziness during pranayama then slow down your breathing. If you are gasping, speed up the breath. Breathe less deep if there is nausea.