The holiday and winter season can be a hectic and difficult time for us for a variety of reasons which can leave us stressed and depressed. Ironically, as we get on the carousel of parties, late night revelry, hangovers, and binge shopping we seem to forget to pay attention to something that is vital to our wellbeing and is literally under our noses. I am referring of course to our breath.
Living and breathing are synonymous. We can survive for weeks without food, several days without water, but without air we die in minutes. How we breathe influences the quality of our lives. Proper breathing is the gateway to physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.
Physically proper breathing brings more oxygen to the cells of the body and improves our vitality; emotionally it helps us to let go of negative emotions such as fear and anger triggered by stress; mentally it helps us to concentrate better and quiet the chatter in our mind; and spiritually it opens us to a dimension of love and gratitude that oftentimes lays buried and untapped as we rush through our lives burdened with the cares of the day.
It is no coincidence that disciplines such as Zen, yoga, tai chi, and other martial arts emphasize the importance of paying attention to the breath. What then is the proper way to breathe?
BREATHING FROM THE CORE
The proper way to breathe is from the core of the body. Breathing from the core is also known as abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing. Babies do it naturally and effortlessly. Put a baby to sit up and you’ll notice how her belly plops out and seems to act like a bellows as she breathes in and out. As we become adults we tend to migrate from our bellies into our heads and over time become disconnected from ourselves.
A good example of someone who has perfected the art of breathing from the core is the Buddha. Images of the Buddha show him seated in the lotus posture, radiating serenity and calm with sometimes a hint of a smile playing across his lips.
The Buddha in his posture and attitude demonstrates someone sitting on top of the world. Unlike the Buddha, most of us go around like Atlas, the Greek Titan, with the world on our shoulders and obviously in a lot of pain.
LOCATING THE CORE
If the proper way to breathe is from the core, then where is it located? The core is situated 5 inches below the navel. Zen students are taught to focus their attention in this area as this is where spiritual energy called chi is accumulated and stored.
To locate the core, tuck your thumb into the palm of your hand and place the four fingers just below the navel. The area covered by the four fingers is the core. Breathe in and out and feel the belly expand and contract as you do so. To establish a presence there, visualize a balloon located in this area. As you breathe in, see and feel the balloon expand; and as you breathe out, see and feel the balloon contract.
Learning to establish awareness in and breathing from the core is a basic technique that can be employed in managing stress. You can practice this technique in the midst of your daily activities. For example, you can do so at your desk at work, while standing in line at the check-out counter, commuting to work in your car or on the Go Train.
Throughout the course of the holidays and the winter season, when you are beginning to feel stressed, angry or depressed, take that as a sign that you need to take 5 minutes to energize and recharge by reconnecting with and breathing from the core. That, after all, is the secret to the Buddha’s smile!
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