December 03rd, 2020

THE HEALING POWER OF BREATHING

Breathing is an activity that happens naturally for all beings since birth. However, some of us, human, take it for granted. We do not feel grateful enough for the power it has. Yes, you heard it right. Breathing has super power, the POWER OF HEALING. In fact, without it we are nothing. We won't be alive to do all things we like and live life to the fullest.

So, what is this super power? The day when we were born, we were given certain amount of prana/qi/energy through our breath (oxygen) to sustain our life. When we breathe, our whole body breathe as well, not only the chest or belly, but also our spine, rib cage, and skin through the pores. The abdominal diaphragm pushes down our digestive organs during inhalation to create more space for the air to come in. That is why the belly is moving out when we inhale. When we exhale, the diaphragm moves up and massages our heart and lungs. There is space for the belly to move back in. This is called diaphragmatic breathing and the act of breathing itself has helped strenghtening and toning our belly.

You can place both your hands on your belly and observe how you normally breathe. Some people breathe shallow and only using their chest. Some do what is called "reverse-breathing". This means the belly is coming in on inhalation and going out on exhalation. These types of breathing can cause stress. Therefore, practice is needed to return our breathing pattern like when we were a baby. Baby does proper breathing and take longer exhalation. Therefore, they are always joyful and relax.

Furthermore, this way of breathing relaxes our nervous system, from Symphatic Nervous System - SNS (fight or flight or freeze mode) to Parasymphatic Nervous System - PNS (rest and digest). It sends signal to our brain that we are safe and that we can relax now. This is when the process of letting go happens with each exhalation. What do we let go of? We let go of stucked energies like tiredness, exhaustion, tension in our body, stress, anxiety, depression, fear, anger and all that do not deserve us anymore, only with the act of breathing. By breathing properly and mindfully our mind becomes clearer and sharp, our body is healthier, and our mood is improved. We will also feel more energized. Breathing gives impact on our whole being, including our decision making. If you want to change and improve your life, you can start with your breath.