We live in an era where multiple years data are reversed, everyday events alternate with amazing speed and the perception of life that most of people have seems to be light years away from where we were a decade ago. The only constant in the present moment is variability, while finding balance in personal and collective level constitutes a huge daily challenge.
Where to start from, though, to approach balance? An obvious answer is from the base of life and that is the breath. The breath that happens continuously, no matter if we have consciousness of it or not, and affects all our actions, thoughts, steps.
Every breath has two phases: the inhale and the exhale. The balance between them is achieved when we fill up in the inhale with air, vital energy (or prana, chi, etc), using our whole breathing mechanism, and we relax at the exhale, letting go of whatever we don’t need any more. If this sequence is restricted for any reason, the breathing balance is interrupted. Classic example is the shallow, short or hasty inhale that does not take advantage of the breathing capacity of the person and cannot provide him with the energy needed. Another example is the controlled exhale, when the person holds the air inside and lets it go slowly, not allowing the complete relaxation of body and mind. This exhale is energy-consuming and thus tiring and hinders the surrendering to the life flow. (Attention: these references are related to chronic situations and not particular breathing exercises)
The breath, moreover, is the mirror of life. Simply by observing how someone breaths, we can make direct conclusions for his psychological and emotional situation – e.g. fast, shallow breath shows stress and pressure while calm and full breathing indicates internal serenity and safety. People, therefore, that do not make good use of the capacity and the space of the breathing mechanism in the body, face difficulties in taking their space in life and in using their full potential. Those, on the other hand, that do not let their exhale free, they try to control everything around them, show lack of trust in themselves and in others and surrender very rarely to relaxation and accepting care. In other words, how do I want to feel free and whole, when the base of my life, the breath itself which happens constantly, is restricted?
If I close my eyes right now and take some breaths, what inferences do I draw about my life?... How much more information about how my body feels in the present moment is transferred by the flow of the breath?...
This is just the start. By learning and implementing conscious breathing techniques, the breathing, body and mind awareness is increased, as well as the cellular revitalization and the mental clarity, and the first step towards balance has been done! And as the advertisement says: These and a lot more… at the sessions and the seminars of Breath ‘n’ Joy!
