We are straying far from the path, in many many ways. Our lust for money, and power, and the constant "go go go" attitude is just meant to wear us out and numb our minds. The entire system is just an attack on the human body and our immune system. The high stress levels, the polluted foods and water, the propaganda and materialism - the quest for money and stuff. All of these factors weigh us down, create baggage and feelings of insecurity and worthlessness, and leave us feeling incomplete.
Just getting back to these basics can make you realize how lost we are. How about proper nutrition? We need to give our bodies the right fuel if we expect them to run well. Yet proper nutrition is not taught in schools, and most parents work too much to make meals. Living in Canada, it is normal here to grocery shop once every week to two weeks and to buy many canned, frozen, and preserved foods that will last. These kinds of foods contain many added chemicals and toxins with names few people can pronounce and they are purchased without a second thought. (More on chemicals and toxins in food in the next post.)
You can live for a long time without food, or even water but you cannot live very long without breathing. Breathing properly is one thing that is very rarely thought of, as it is one of the body's autonomic functions and occurs involuntarily, but many ancient eastern cultures teach that the breath is life. If we are not breathing properly, we are not getting enough oxygen into our blood, brain, and cells, and therefore we are not functioning at 100%.
Most people "chest breathe" while we should be breathing into our stomachs, or our diaphragms. Chest breathers will notice the rising of the shoulders and expansion of the rib cage during inhalation. Chest breathers are also more tense, in the stomach, chest, shoulders and jaw. When learning to breath again, with the diaphragm, one has to be relaxed and at ease.
When the diaphragm, located just below your ribcage, when it engages, pulls downward creating a vacuum that causes our lungs to fill with air. The downward action of the diaphragm pushes on the internal organs which also stimulates them almost as an internal massage, keeping your digestive tract and stomach healthy. When the diaphragm relaxes, that air is pushed out. This is called, "belly breathing."
When we keep our stomach muscles tense, (mostly in an effort to appear thinner than we are) the diaphragm is not allowed to work fully and the muscles of the rib cage are required to work much harder than they were intended to, stressing them out, and also putting stress on your heart.
Once you have taught yourself to autonomically breathe with your diaphragm, you will find that you can relax more fully, sleep well, be more at peace during your waking hours, and have more stamina and ability to do things you couldn't before. Breathing into the stomach or diaphragm will eliminate the painful side-ache or belly-ache that people who are not used to physical exertion experience when they take up jogging or a similar activity for the first time. The oxygen you were lacking will fill your body, and each cell that was suffocating will thank you and reward you. You will also have much more clarity of mind and will find it a lot easier to organize your thoughts, and you will be able to meditate more easily, simply by focusing on your breath.
Re-programming your Breathing:
You have just engaged your diaphragm in an exaggerated fashion. When breathing normally it is not necessary to expel all of the air out of your lungs or to try and push the stomach outwards. It is normal to feel slightly light-headed at first because you are filling your lungs, and therefore getting a lot more oxygen than you are used to.
Final Thought: Refrain from the accumulation of material wealth. Freeing yourself from the desire for "stuff" will allow you to realize what you truly desire, not that which you have been programmed to desire. Soon you will feel the freedom from compulsions and temptations to buy and consume. LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - DON'T LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.
Source: http://www.zentao.com/Lifeway/Finding_Sight/breathing.html
Just getting back to these basics can make you realize how lost we are. How about proper nutrition? We need to give our bodies the right fuel if we expect them to run well. Yet proper nutrition is not taught in schools, and most parents work too much to make meals. Living in Canada, it is normal here to grocery shop once every week to two weeks and to buy many canned, frozen, and preserved foods that will last. These kinds of foods contain many added chemicals and toxins with names few people can pronounce and they are purchased without a second thought. (More on chemicals and toxins in food in the next post.)
You can live for a long time without food, or even water but you cannot live very long without breathing. Breathing properly is one thing that is very rarely thought of, as it is one of the body's autonomic functions and occurs involuntarily, but many ancient eastern cultures teach that the breath is life. If we are not breathing properly, we are not getting enough oxygen into our blood, brain, and cells, and therefore we are not functioning at 100%.
Most people "chest breathe" while we should be breathing into our stomachs, or our diaphragms. Chest breathers will notice the rising of the shoulders and expansion of the rib cage during inhalation. Chest breathers are also more tense, in the stomach, chest, shoulders and jaw. When learning to breath again, with the diaphragm, one has to be relaxed and at ease.
When the diaphragm, located just below your ribcage, when it engages, pulls downward creating a vacuum that causes our lungs to fill with air. The downward action of the diaphragm pushes on the internal organs which also stimulates them almost as an internal massage, keeping your digestive tract and stomach healthy. When the diaphragm relaxes, that air is pushed out. This is called, "belly breathing."
When we keep our stomach muscles tense, (mostly in an effort to appear thinner than we are) the diaphragm is not allowed to work fully and the muscles of the rib cage are required to work much harder than they were intended to, stressing them out, and also putting stress on your heart.
Once you have taught yourself to autonomically breathe with your diaphragm, you will find that you can relax more fully, sleep well, be more at peace during your waking hours, and have more stamina and ability to do things you couldn't before. Breathing into the stomach or diaphragm will eliminate the painful side-ache or belly-ache that people who are not used to physical exertion experience when they take up jogging or a similar activity for the first time. The oxygen you were lacking will fill your body, and each cell that was suffocating will thank you and reward you. You will also have much more clarity of mind and will find it a lot easier to organize your thoughts, and you will be able to meditate more easily, simply by focusing on your breath.
Re-programming your Breathing:
- Lay flat on your back and place your hands on your stomach, just below your ribs.
- Gently but forcefully expel all the air from your lungs THROUGH YOUR NOSE. Your mouth is for eating, not for breathing. You will find yourself sucking in your stomach slightly.
- Relax and allow your lungs to fill with air. You will feel your diaphragm pull down.
- Continue to inhale and allow the breath to push your belly out and your hands upward toward the ceiling.
- Exhale and allow your stomach to return to normal.
You have just engaged your diaphragm in an exaggerated fashion. When breathing normally it is not necessary to expel all of the air out of your lungs or to try and push the stomach outwards. It is normal to feel slightly light-headed at first because you are filling your lungs, and therefore getting a lot more oxygen than you are used to.
- Through-out the day and anytime you think about it, check your breathing. You must relearn to naturally breathe with the diaphragm without having to think about it. Learn to breathe evenly, and slowly.
- You may exercise your diaphragm (as it is a muscle like any other) once a day by placing a book on your stomach and making it rise and fall. Start light than use heavier and heavier books.
Final Thought: Refrain from the accumulation of material wealth. Freeing yourself from the desire for "stuff" will allow you to realize what you truly desire, not that which you have been programmed to desire. Soon you will feel the freedom from compulsions and temptations to buy and consume. LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - DON'T LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.
Source: http://www.zentao.com/Lifeway/Finding_Sight/breathing.html