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Yoga breathing has a profound effect on the mind and emotions. A completely relaxed person with no fears and pressures will breathe rhythmically and deeply. However, most of us are not relaxed. Our breathing is shallow, irregular and fast. Deep breathing, consciously done, can calm us. As the breath goes, so goes the mind. I have used my observation of my breath to help me in my daily life. If I hear myself breathing shallowly and rapidly, I realize that I am tense and anxious. By commencing deep breathing, I am soon able to lessen the anxiety and regain my peace, poise and equilibrium. I am then in a better position to allow my mind to more rationally cope with the situation that caused the anxiety. Most of us breathe poorly, due to bad habits and due to emotional stress. Poor breathing is marked by rapid shallow breaths, emanating mainly in the chest area. But, with proper training and motivation, we can learn the right type of breathing, which is called bi-formatic or complete breathing. There is a thought that I have come across in my Eastern readings, that nature allots each person a certain number of breaths in one's lifetime. The more rapidly one breathes, the sooner are these breaths used up, and the earlier one's life comes to an end. Hatha yoga is the only system that specialized in breath culture for physical and psychological reasons. The third technique developed in hatha yoga is relaxation. The word relaxation comes from the Latin word "laxare", to loosen, slacken, to let go. As described previously in this article, performance of the asanas and breathing techniques requires and leads to increased relaxation. But in addition to the incidental relaxation which is a by product of performing the asanas and breathing, there are specific concentration and relaxation exercises directed at letting go tension in every specific area of the body. By so doing we become self aware and alert to our unique way and place of collection of tension. This self-observation carries over to our daily life. We may not realize, for example, that when under pressure from anxiety and fear, in the office, our right forearm becomes taut, out neck maintained in a visor-like hold, or our back twisted and misaligned. Once aware of these tensions, we can work consciously to relieve them. Unless we practice this self-observation technique and the mind control to release tension, such symptoms as headaches, stiff necks and back-shoulder problems will arise, to say nothing of the energy depleted by being in tension. This leads me into the subject of mind control, mind concentration and mind relaxation. These important facets of living are dealt with in hatha yoga. In order to do the asanas, breathing and relaxation, the mind must be focused. Doing the asanas, the mind should be concentrated on the proper technique; on relaxing and stretching the appropriate muscles; on proper breathing; and on the graceful entrance, hold and exit, in and out of the position. We are forced to admit that our mind is unable for long to remain focused on these matters; in fact, we are surprised to observe that the mind acts like a wild monkey, jumping from one thought to another, scattering its energy hopelessly and chaotically. The issue of mind control, mind concentration, and mind relaxation is a vital one. Our minds are often in constant motion and flux. It has been said that the average person has a minimum of 25,000 thoughts a day. Moreover, that each day those thoughts and feelings are repetitive. After a day's work, we may be unable to successfully "turn off" the day's encounters. These vexing thoughts may impair our concentration on our family life and impede our ability to sleep. Most of us meet the above problems by rushing into other activities or turning to pills and tranquilizers. While the usual recreational activities and exercises and aerobic activities are most helpful, they represent no more than additional diversions and deflections of interest. They lead us again into the same direction of movement, accomplishment, striving, and often competition. Yoga, on the other hand, involves a slowing down and eventual stillness or tranquility of the mind. By putting the mind in reverse gear, as it were, we are able to begin turning off the inner and outer confusion and noise of a typical work day and move closer in the direction of contact with the wellsprings of stillness, quietness and power that lie dormant within us all. We come to learn true mental relaxation that is, being a witness to our mind and being able to observe our own thoughts without becoming submerged in them. I would like to comment on some of the yoga concepts of diet. One of the results of continuous and steady hatha yoga practices is a natural evolution of a proper diet for each person's needs. When various organs of the body are restored to their proper functioning and tone, we develop a sense of physical wholeness and well-being so meaningful that we do not want to ingest foods that will jeopardize that state. The body, as it were, will automatically reject those foods that are harmful. The light diet of milk products, meat or fish, vegetables and fruits, and cereal is one that I basically adhere to. I am able to do this, however, not because of something that I read or something that I feel is right to do, but because I listen to my body, and take my cues from it. Lapses back to wrongful eating habits are rare. <<<<Page 2 Page 4>>>> |