As Dr. Chieko Maekawa said, “The fastest way to die is to stop breathing”. Three mins without oxygen, and the body will experience organ failure. Just to say how important is the simple act of breathing. Breathing is the main source of energy for the cells (through the Krebs cycle) which means, it is also the main source of energy for the body.

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Our mind is so concerned by all matters in our life (adding the stress and the lack of movement), we all tend to breath without consciousness. This means that we are breathing in a very shallow way, diminishing the air intake and the energy that the body could actually produce. Shallow breathing can become a person’s natural way of breathing over time, especially when they become nervous or tense.

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In order to fight against tiredness and fatigue, learning how to breathe correctly, fully, with consciousness and deepness, will bring our cells into a state of high oxygenation. Allowing the body to naturally produce more energy. This will increase the general homeostasis and help to maintain healthy cells. Both Western and Eastern medical practitioners, consider good breathing habits to be essential components of health.

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Starting by doing 5 minutes breathing exercise daily, we can actually teach our body how to change the bad habit of shallow breathing into a good and healthy habit of deep breathing. In TCM we especially love the healing benefits of Qi Gong (氣功) and Tai Ji Quan (太極拳) exercises that focus on breathing, combined with movements to stimulate the circulation of liquids and energy through the body. Meditation, yoga, and other breath-centered activities can also help train the unconscious mind to tell the body to breathe more deeply and calmly.

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No other health practice is capable of producing such drastic and life changing results. When breathing in a deep and calm way becomes a new habit, this will enhance the ability to dissolve and release internal blockages in the mind and body, enhancing your well-being and spiritual awareness. Breathing exercises can be practiced standing, sitting, or lying down. Putting a small note on the computer as a reminder “breathe deeply” can also help to modify our breathing rate and habit.

 

Stop a moment, relax ......... and breathe