EVERY BREATH COUNTS

Not enough importance has been given to breathing in the Western countries and culture, not even in Western medicine. We have never been taught how to breathe correctly, the different ways to breathe, exercises to improve our breathing or even the importance of breathing. Breathing has been completely taken for granted and completely ignored. In fact, breathing only seems to become important when you suffer from some type of respiratory illness, when you are suffocating or when you practice some type of sport or activity where breathing is key to performance. What we have not understood is that breathing is the essence of life! Life cannot unfold if we do not breathe!

Breathing is the first and last sign of life. In fact, when we are referring to our lives, we are referring to what happens between these two breaths. But it is not just that. Everything that happens between those two breaths, absolutely everything, regardless of the magnitude and whether we do it consciously or unconsciously, cannot happen without breathing and is completely conditioned by our breathing. In fact, your physical, mental, and emotional health, wellbeing and the quality of life you are living is directly proportional to the way you breathe! That’s how important breathing is!

When you walk, jump, extend an arm or leg far, laugh, cry, smile, love, hate, sing, yell, observe or touch something carefully, etc., you breathe differently. Your circulatory, endocrine, nervous, digestive, lymphatic, immune, etc. systems cannot work without, and depend on, breathing. Your cells, tissues, membranes, fluids, fascia, emotions and feelings cannot happen without breathing. Even you mind depends on breathing. "The way you breathe is the way you think, and the way you think is the way you breathe!" says Sadhguru, a prominent visionary, yogi, and mystic. In fact, the way you breathe has been determining your life, and your life has just been a simple manifestation of your breathing! It all happens automatically and has happened consciously, but mostly unconsciously, all of our lives. We just don’t realize it most of the time. In fact, we usually only notice it when we are sick, when we are short of it, when we lose it or when performing a special activity.

Think about your breathing when you are upset or angry, feeling anxious or depressed, running late for an appointment, etc. Those are easy moments to realize how we are breathing and easy moments to do something about it. Before it happens or right at the beginning, stay conscious of your breathing and, instead of breathing short and fast, start breathing deep and slow. You should be able to feel better in a matter of minutes or should be able to control the situation more calmly and peaceful.

But breathing is more than just a physical, mental, or emotional necessity. It is part of the essence and flavor of life, of that called humanity or the experience of being human. When you go to the mountains, the ocean, or somewhere where the air is pure; when you see a gorgeous sunset or sunrise; when the scenery is breathtaking; when you see a beautiful piece of art; when you see a baby or a puppy; when a loved one does something special, moves in a certain way, or smiles at you; when you are presented with a wonderful, plentiful meal; etc.; etc.; you fill your lungs to the fullest and feel that experience running through your entire body.

If we were able to realize and get in our heads the importance of breathing, we would spend the rest of our lives learning and practicing how to breathe consciously. Life is not counted by years as we have been doing all our lives. Life is counted by the number of breaths, and every breath counts! The faster you breathe, the faster you will die. So slow down your breathing, breathe deep and long, and enjoy each breath as if it were your last breath. Make it count! Each breath should feel as if you just satisfied your hunger with a wonderful meal. That sensation of calming your hunger when you are starving should be the same sensation you feel each time you breathe consciously. If you are not experiencing this right now, you are robbing yourself of every breath’s pleasure and the pleasure of a wonderful life! Your life depends on it!

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Author: Maurice Correa
Website: pathtoone.com
Blog: p2oblog.blogspot.com