The Science of Breathing (Pillar #1)

To begin the Elevate Your Vibration series, we will start at with breathing.  Humans can live for weeks without food, days without water or sleep, but literally only minutes without the breath.  This makes breathing the most crucial bodily function.  “Breath is Life.”  Proper breathing leads to more vitality, better health, and less disease. It will improve your digestion, your complexion, and your mood. Proper breathing is an important exercise for your internal organs and muscles. Proper breathing is a transformational experience that can improve every aspect of your physical and mental health and therefore, elevate your vibrations. 

So what is breathing?   Breathing is the process of drawing in (inhalation) air through the nose or mouth to fill the lungs and expelling (exhalation) the air from the lungs through the nose or mouth. Inhalation provides oxygen to the blood while exhalation cleans out the carbon dioxide.  The body parts involved are the nose, mouth, larynx, trachea, lungs, and diaphragm.  Essentially, we breathe in life and breathe out death. 

Breathing seems like such a simple, semi-conscious bodily function, yet the majority of modern humans neglect to maximize the health benefits from breathing.  Many people have become accustomed  to shallow breathing, which fails to properly fill their lungs with air.  Years of shallow breathing can lead to numerous health problems, such as a lack of available oxygen for cell growth and repair as well as leaving stale air in the lungs. Shallow breathing also leads to less use of the diaphragm, which forces the body to use other muscles in the back, chest, and neck to breathe.  

There are 2 changes that you can make today in order to drastically improve your breathing and elevate your vibrations. 

1. Breathe into the nostrils.

1. Fill the lungs completely with air. 

Nostril Breathing

Nostril breathing is considered nature's intended way of breathing. The nostrils perform two necessary tasks during inhalation.  First, the hairlike cilia purifies the inhaled air by trapping and filtering out dust, impurities and other foreign. Secondly, the mucus membranes warm and moisten the air before entering into the larynx and down the trachea on its way to the lungs. With mouth breathing the air bypasses the protective cilia as it blasts directly into the larynx and down the trachea to the lungs.  Without the filter of the cilia and the warming of the mucus membrane, the particles in the air as well as the temperature of the air can damage the lungs. Therefore nostril breathing is of primordial importance. 

Fill the Lungs

The reason that the lungs should fill completely is related to the blood.  The blood returns from the body to the right atrium and moves to the right ventricle before entering the pulmonary arteries in the lungs.  The pulmonary arteries branch out to every part top and bottom of the lungs.  When the air from inhalation enters the lungs, it burns off the waste the blood is carrying and refills your blood with oxygen.  The now oxygen rich blood flows out of the lungs through the pulmonary veins into the left atrium, then left ventricle and back into the body.  The waste product carbon dioxide is expelled from the body through the nose or mouth.  In order to ensure that you are exposing the waste and refilling the oxygen in your blood, you must allow the air to completely fill your lungs.  

There are countless breathing techniques and exercises that can be used to improve health.  Today I will introduce 3 breathing techniques to get started on elevating your vibes through the breath.  

The Complete Breath 

The first breathing technique that is essential to practice and master is called the complete breath.  You must involve the diaphragm as it plays a critical role in the process. There are 3 steps. 

1. Breath in through the nose by descending the diaphragm which will push the abdomen out slightly.  This will allow air to reach the lower part of the lungs.  Then fill the middle part of the lungs pushing out the lower ribs, breast bone and chest.  Then fill the upper portion of the lungs, lifting the chest including the upper six or seven pairs of ribs.  While there seem to be three parts to the breath, the inhalation should be continuous filling the entire chest cavity from the bottom up. Try to avoid jerky breaths or straining yourself and attempt to attain a steady continuous flow.  It might take a little practice to ensure that your inhalation is deep and smooth.  

2. Retain the breath for a second or two.

3. Exhale quite slowly, holding the chest in a firm position, and having the abdomen in a little and lifting it upward as the air leaves the lungs. 

The key to this is the diaphragm.  Try doing the complete breath either laying down to start or in front of the mirror to make sure that the abdomen is rising at the beginning of each inhalation. Practice everyday until it becomes your normal way of breathing.   

Alternate Nostril Breathing

This breathing exercise is useful everyday in order to make certain that your nostrils are clean and clear of any obstructions. It is practiced as the name suggests.  

Use the ring finger of your left hand to block your left nostril.  Inhale a complete breath into your right nostril.

1. Retain for a second while unblocking your left nostril and using your right ring finger to block your right nostril.

2.  Exhale completely.  

3. Without moving your ring finger from your right nostril, inhale a complete breath through your left nostril. 

4. Retain briefly to switch fingers, block your left nostril.  

5. Exhale completely.  

Complete the series from 7 to 10 times for maximum beneficial effects. 

The Cleansing Breath

The final breathing exercise is the cleansing breath.  This breath purifies and stimulates the lungs.  It serves as a toning exercise for the respiratory organs and muscles. 

1. Inhale a complete breath

2. Retain for a few seconds

3. Pucker up the lips while simultaneously not swelling out the checks, then exhale a little air through the opening with considerable force.  Stop for a moment, retain the air, then exhale a little more.  Repeat until all the air has been entirely exhaled. 

The cleansing breath is used after each and every breathing exercise in order to keep the body refreshed and vigorous.  You should only practice this breath two or three times at the end of any other breathing exercise as it can be very powerful. 

In conclusion, proper breathing is clearly the beginning of the journey toward whole health and the elevation of your vibrations.