The Beauty of Breathing
Your breath is your life force. It is what connects you to this plane of existence. Breathing is one of the simplest and most powerful mechanisms for health and healing. Focusing on your breath brings peace throughout the journey of cancer and in daily life. Mindful breathing is essential in supporting people affected by cancer; patients during and after treatments as well as caregivers. Breathing is a gift that most of us often take for granted and give little attention to. When you give more attention to your breath, you will benefit profoundly in your mental, physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing. Systematic inhaling and exhaling regulates all of the functions in your body. Inhaling provides life-giving oxygen to each one of your cells. Exhaling expels carbon dioxide; a waste product. Deep, balanced breathing improves blood circulation, activates the lymphatic system, and balances your nervous system.
Breathing properly is very important . The diaphragm should be relaxed so that your abdominal wall rises and falls with each breath. Your tummy should expand when you inhale, and completely empty during your exhale. It is ideal when the length of your inhale and exhale are just about the same. Many of us are victims of shallow breathing, which is actually the breathing pattern of fear. People experience shallow breathing or difficulty breathing deeply because their back muscles and intercostals (which can be found around and between the ribs) are restricted. Stress, lack of exercise and repressed emotions often cause these muscle groups to become wound too tight and hinder the movement of the rib cage. This leads to high blood pressure, as it constricts the blood vessels. This constriction slows down your circulation, which limits the speed in which your immune system can respond to an intruder. Remember, everything going on in your body depends on a constant and steady circulation of oxygen-rich blood. Anything that interferes with that circulation is unhealthy and poses a great risk to your overall health. Once stress is managed properly, the body will be able to breathe easier. The diaphragm opens up more. The chest and back muscles relax, creating more range of motion for the expanding and contracting of the ribs. Stretching, meditation, general relaxation and emotional release techniques all help in alleviating body rigidity and allow you to become more open and receptive to the healing power of your breath. Deep, meaningful breathing is conducive to love, acceptance and good health. As your breath becomes balanced, your mind, body and spirit also become balanced. As deep, conscious breathing becomes a way of being, your body and mind become vivid and yet serene, as well.
The best way to become aware of your breathing and regulate it is through a practice of daily meditation. Meditation is independent of any religion and it is more about getting in touch with your inner self. During meditation, you may focus on your breathing to tame your mind. For most people, the moment you sit down with no distraction of the radio, TV, cell phone, work, school and so on, the mind becomes like a wild animal. It is difficult to quiet the mind because we are wired for stress and we are trained to be human doings, not human beings. The most effective way to train your mind is to focus on your breathing. When your mind wanders, come back to your breath. If in meditation you cannot accomplish anything even close to inner peace and a quiet, thoughtless mind; that's ok. Sitting quietly and watching your breath is highly effective in combating stress and illness.
When you focus on your breathing, you are able to move into a more relaxed state of awareness. Your breath becomes like a root; connecting you to all that is. Becoming conscious of your breathing anchors you in the present moment and allows you to focus on the here and now. Mindful breathing will bridge the gap between your mind, body and spirit; bringing instant healing and peace. This is especially important during one's journey with cancer. During such a stressful and life-changing time, it becomes quite easy to succumb to worry about the future,- and the past, - as well as anxiety and even depression. It is so important to just focus on what you can handle at that present moment and take things one day at a time...or one breath at a time!
Breath deeply, dear friends!
