BY POLLYANNA
As the tide ebbs and flows, as waves come and go, so we breathe. Breathing in and breathing out.
Let’s just stop a moment… watch closely… can you feel the breath? Is it fast or slow, shallow or deep, are the nostrils clear for breathing in and out? Perhaps you’re concentrating too hard and it has stopped altogether. There is a long-held belief in yoga that we have a certain number of breaths to breathe in our lifetime. Once we have breathed those breaths, that’s it, we expire.
You’ll know that stressful situations cause the breath to become rapid and shallow, sometimes it is difficult to ‘catch one’s breath’. A disrupted breathing pattern further disrupts the body’s natural rhythms, compromises our immediate wellbeing and, if sustained, surely must have a negative impact on our endurance and zest for life.
In yoga, we place much emphasis on the breath – we become aware of it, we focus on it, encourage it to slow down, count, even hold it. Being mindful of every breath helps guide us to the present moment when all there is is the breath flowing in and flowing out. By observing others breathing, particularly a sleeping child, watching with impartial curiosity, connects us with this moment. Just as it is. Breathing in, breathing out.
At the very start of your day, before rising out of bed, breathe! Experience it as the gift that it is for a few minutes. During the day, whether sitting down, standing up, confined to your bed, trying your best to home-school and to maintain some sense of normality in life, check the breath every now and again.
Then, when preparing for sleep, let the breath greet you. Observe its rhythm as you reflect briefly on the day’s passing, preparing for a peaceful night and a fresh opportunity beyond.
As the tortoise breathes slowly throughout its 300-year life and dogs pant their way through a significantly shorter one, perhaps entertain the idea that somewhere in between we can live better for longer!