“The perfected breathe all the way to their heels, unlike ordinary folks who breathe only as far as their throats.”
- Zhuang Zi, 3rd c BCE
Recently, I was reminded that the Latin root of the word “spirit” is breath. This led me to reflect on how, when our spirits are troubled, a reliable way to soothe them is to take consciously free, deep, unhindered breaths until we feel relief from whatever is oppressing us. That’s one reason why we practice breathing in each and every class Qigong class: It gives us the skill to reach into our deepest, tenderest, most spiritual selves, and “blow the dust out”, as one of my teachers used to say. When things get tough, this is a simple, reliable and powerful tool to use.
In cultures throughout time, the concepts of “breath” and “life” have been inextricably linked. Makes sense, right? Taking a breath is the first thing we do in life, and letting it out is the very last. In between, it’s kind of miraculous that we breathe continuously and unconsciously, yet also have the ability to consciously control our breathing. In fact, breathing is one of the few autonomic (automatic or unconscious) physiological functions that we can also control. This is why mindfully slowing the breath gives us the power to regulate our autonomic nervous system back to a state of healthy balance. It allows us to slow our fast-hammering heart, lower high blood pressure, and regulate the excessive stress hormones coursing their corrosive way through our being. In other words, mindful breathing “calms our spirits” and returns us to a healthy parasympathetic state of rest-digest-heal, after our sympathetic fight-flight-freeze response has been triggered. No drugs necessary. It’s part of our built-in pharmacopeia.
The next time you feel dispirited, find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit, lie down, or stand, whatever feels best. Close your eyes and begin to tune into your inner self. Bring your hands and your attention to your lower belly. Guide your breath to sink down to the area beneath your palms, gradually allowing it to soften and relax. Begin to imagine and feel a sense of spaciousness opening there. (Don’t rush this part, it may take some time.) Once you connect to this feeling of spaciousness, imagine a soft, healing breeze of inspiration gently moving through your lower dantien, blowing away any feelings of turmoil, low spirits, or oppression. Just like dust out the attic window, we exhale out the unhelpful energy, and make room for whatever keeps us strong, calm, and clear-headed…maybe even in-spired!
