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The Power of Breath

by Heather Antonissen

Ever wondered why yoga places so much emphasis on breathing? Do you really know what pranayama is? Want to know how to take your yoga to another level? Read this month's article on The Power of Breath to learn more about this important part of your practice….

What's with all the emphasis on breathing in yoga? Breathing doesn't exactly require a degree in rocket science. Every living human does it. We come into this life with our first breath and move onto the next with our last. We do it every moment of every day with usually no thought whatsoever.

But in yoga, we are asked to think about the breath constantly. We are asked to breathe through the nose, coordinate our movements with the breath, maintain even, steady breaths, breathe with ujjayi sound, breathe with bandhas, etc. The classic yogic text Hatha Yoga Pradipika tells us that one should learn to control the breath. Guru Sri K. Pattabhi Jois said that the breath is the heart of the discipline. During workshops at YIY, Lino Miele constantly repeated that breath is the only reality, and John Berlinsky encouraged us to have the breath as the sole focus of our attention during our practice.

There are even techniques for breathing. Kapalabhati, which means "skull shining" but is often referred to as fire breathing, is a cleansing technique used in several yogic traditions. There is also nadi shodhana or alternate nostril breathing, dirgha pranayama (three-part breathing), nostril cleaning with neti pots, and ujjayi breathing emphasizing the internal bandhas or locks. Who would have ever thought that the very foundation of life would get so much attention?

Oddly enough, it is because it is the very foundation of life that it deserves and requires so much of our attention. The qualities that compose our foundation are reflected in our life. When our foundation or breath is tight, held, shallow, fearful, everything that is built on that foundation will have those same qualities. If our foundation is grounded and calm, stable and even, then our life will represent that as well. This is even stated in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika: "When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath."

In yoga, breath is referred to as prana and is equated to all life energy; breath/energy work, or pranayama, is one of the eight essential limbs of yogic practice found in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, the "bible" for yoga practice. Breath is life. Each inhale and each exhale represent the cycle of life, and each breath is an objective mirror of the quality of life at that moment. The breath quickens when we are excited or anxious; it is shallow if we are unsettled or agitated; it may even stop or be jerky as we hold onto or fight emotions, desires or fears. It is a simple reflection of our state of being each moment of every day, and provides valuable information if we can come to be aware of it.

By becoming aware of the breath, we are able to connect to this moment and take inventory of where we are. What happens for many of us is that we are not present and aware in this moment which causes us to tense in preparation for the future or from the past. Our minds are constantly thinking about the next task to be completed or the next appointment to make; or we are thinking about the past, stewing over disappointments, embarrassments or hurts. Each one of those pressures, hurts or hopes are reflected by a holding in our muscles and breath, and those holdings travel with us, affecting how we see and react to life. They build on each other creating layer upon layer of tension, protection, prejudice and judgment that keep us from truly seeing and hearing-despite our best intentions.

By observing the breath, we slowly start to become aware of when we are holding or fighting something. This holding disrupts the flow of energy throughout our bodies and further agitates the mind. By being with each inhale and each exhale, we begin to let go-of hopes and fears, of the past and the future, of tightened muscles and repeating thoughts-and begin to experience the present moment which we are able to meet with openness, lightness and clarity. Freed from our continued responses of interpretation, we cease being in opposition to or in connection with the present. The moment just is as are we.

This letting go can be very scary. Pranayama is designed to clear away the damming and debris that interfere with the smooth flow of energy throughout the mind and body. There is a reason why those blocks are there in the first place, and as we begin to let go of those protections, we are forced to heal the wounds that caused their formation. It is by maintaining a steady, even breath and observing the thoughts and feelings that arise, that we can begin to experience the power of a calm body and a calm mind-one which is open to life energy flowing smoothly and efficiently through us.
As you practice, both on and off the mat, keep gently coming back to the breath. Observe it, experience it. Notice it's rhythms, it's sensations. Use it to empower you if you are fatigued or to calm you if you are feeling agitated. Let it cleanse the mind and body so that you may see and listen more clearly as you are freed from the turbulence which clouds and confuses the mind. By using the breath as a tool to become more aware of yourself, you will then be able to become more aware of your world.

This process of becoming aware and letting go can be challenging, but as we break down our protections, we begin to experience freedom and bliss, love and knowing, while grounded in humility and gratitude. So much is available in each moment if we can just let go and be with it-unbelievable energy, unbelievable healing, endless comfort, resources and love. It is available to each one of us by surrendering our control and being with the breath.

Surrender
If you so desire
To surrender to me
And my plan for you,
Surrender your breath;
For breath is life.
By controlling your breath,
You control your life;
By surrendering your breath,
You surrender your life.
Just as breath cannot fully be ruled,
So too life, is not fully controlled.
By controlling the breath,
With intention or no,
You fight against the natural flow
Causing tension, pain, and suffering.
By letting go and surrendering breath,
You become part of the natural flow
And are in alignment with all the universe.

Heather Antonissen, January 2002

Further Information

If you would like to read more about pranayama and the philosophy of breath in yoga, check out the following links:

Pranayama: http://www.holisticonline.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_breath_prana.htm

Philosophy: http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/458_1.cfm

Exercises: http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/219_1.cfm

Write to Heather at heather@yogaisyouth.com

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