The Importance of Breath

It is very simple the answer to the questions of, "what is the importance of breath?" Life. But how we breathe is of more importance. Breath can be found in movement, thought, music, art, self expression, and stillness. Breath can be short, long, deep, shallow, low, and high. Breath can be held, and sighed out.

In our daily life we forget to pay attention to how we breath. We take it for granted. Our body naturally will take care of this process for us, you don't have to think about doing it. But what if you did think about it... How do you breathe? Do you take time to count the length of your inhale and exhale? Do you allow yourself to find time to sigh, to let something go? Do you let noise out when you exhale? Do you take time to pay attention to the activities that make breathing more easy, and those which bring tension into your breath?

In yoga your instructor may ask you to focus on your breath, and ask that you both link your breath with your movement, "inhale to lift your leg, exhale to step your foot forward." After all yoga is linking breath with movement. Your instructor may also ask that you focus on where in your body your breath sticks, or where your breath lingers, when in seated meditation. They may ask you to breath more into that area (hips, knees, head), and to allow you to release/relax that area. What if you took this practice off your mat, and into your everyday movements about town?

I offer this to you, a "moving meditation" if you will. When you are walking down the street, in the subway, or at work at your desk allow yourself to focus on your breath. Does it linger places? Do you find a sigh to be necessary? Can you allow yourself to redirect your focus if tense, finding your breath stuck, can you breath towards a passion that releases your breath? Count your inhales and your exhales. Allow yourself to own your breath, to linger and spend time with it.