Good Information Articles

Breathing Your Way To Health

Breathing, yes of course we do it, if not we'd be dead, obvious isn't it. But in the far east Breathing techniques have been used for thousands of years. Not only as a means of improving the health and vitality of both the body and mind, but also as a means of connecting to the Higher Spiritual Realms. In the far east the practice is called Pranayama and is an integral part of Hatha Yoga.

There must be a word of warning, to the uninitiated, using Pranayama techniques too vigorously or forcibly can cause damage to the heart, lungs or even mind. It is always best to practice these techniques gently, don't be in a rush, the benefits can last the whole of your life. And for your purposes, it is only the basic techniques that are needed to accumulate Qi (chee or chi) in the body for use by your Inner-Self to help manifest your desired reality. If over time you feel the benefit of these gentle exercises, then that is the time to explore this area in greater detail and to seek adequate instruction.

A Brief History of Pranayama and Qi Qong:

The Indians developed the idea of Prana, a semi-mystical life force that pervades the body, which is responsible for life, health and transcendence. The Chinese developed the idea of life force being Qi, a force that helps maintain end extend life. The Chinese concept is not as mystical as the Indian, but both arrived at a system that could benefit the body and mind using similar techniques.

Pranayama is a 'Sanskrit' word meaning 'control of breath'. Its essence lies in the modification of our normal process of breathing. Breathing is an act in which we take air from the atmosphere into our lungs, absorb the oxygen from it into our blood, and expel the air again into the atmosphere together with carbon dioxide and water vapor. Pranayama consists of modifications of the breathing process, which we bring about deliberately and consciously. We can modify breathing in three different ways:

1. By inhaling and exhaling rapidly, taking shallow breaths.

2. By inhaling and exhaling slowly, taking long or deep breaths.

3. By stopping the act of breathing altogether.

We are primarily concerned with No 2. This type of breath control will allow us to create the necessary extra Qi(chee) our bodies need to increase fitness levels and a clearer mind.

The original Prana breathing methods were part of the ancient Indian Vedas some 1200 to 1500 BC. The most sacred Indian text of the second century BC the 'Bhagavadgita' mentions Pranayama as a means of spiritual enlightenment. Although the process of spiritual enlightenment is far less easy to quantify, the use of Pranayama as a means of strengthening the health is well documented.

Pranayama breathing techniques are often used as a precursor to meditation.

Qi Qong, is similar to Pranayama in that Qi (chee) means breath or breath of life and 'Qong' means mental control over the body. It is believed that Qi Qong is even older than Pranayama and early breath control practices became an important part of Chinese medicine. When you next yawn, which might be now, seeing how we have mentioned it. Observe how you feel when the yawn has finished, your body will be relaxed, if you had any pain or discomfort, this would be alleviated for a few seconds. This is an example of how the changing of your normal breathing pattern can bring a change to your body conditions. The Chinese believe it is the disruption of the flow of Qi within the body that causes many diseases and the re-establishment of the Qi (energy) flows that can bring about an upturn in our well being. Using these practices on a daily basis can give us a good platform for strengthening our immune systems.

A word of caution, be very mindful when performing this Pranayama (Yoga Breathing Exercise), and return to normal breathing if you feel light-headed, dizzy, or faint. Remember we only need the basic breath control here, if you think Pranayama can bring you more benefits then look for one of the many good books available or better still join a class.

Posture:

There are several postures recommended for Pranayama breathing exercises, most include the type of sitting with crossed legs that can be seen in many books or TV programs. Not many people have the time to spend learning how to achieve these postures, although they can prove beneficial. But to start your basic breathing exercise there is only one rule, 'NO slouching'. If you prefer to sit, keep a straight back, this will allow for the free passage of air between the throat, lungs and abdomen. Keeping a straight back will also keep your mind more alert. Although you can lie down if necessary, it is more difficult to do deep breathing while on your back, initially anyway. If you wish to learn about the other postures recommended, there are many good books available on Hatha Yoga.

Breathing:

Unless stated all inhalations and exhalations should be through your nostrils, this allows the body greater control over respiration.

Belly Breathing:

To do yoga belly breathing properly you should allow your lungs to fill from the bottom up, this will assure you of maximum air penetration and absorption. The lungs lay just behind the rib cage and are attached to the ribs, they are therefore pulled open and closed by them. If you are breathing only with the top half of the chest, the top of your lungs will open first so that the air fills them only up at the very top. If on the other hand you push your belly out as you inhale you will expand your diaphragm first. The lower ribs will then push out and open the lower portion of the lung first. The air will then rush down into them to fill the vacuum there and so fills your whole lung chamber from the bottom to the top. When you exhale, you are in effect reversing the process, by pulling the belly in at the end of the exhalation. This last movement pushes the air complexly out of the lower portion of your lungs and so pushes all the toxins of the used air out of your lungs.

Don't worry if takes you a little time to practice and feel right when using this breathing method.

Re-Cap.

Deeper, steady breathing can increase the amount of oxygen the body can use to burn out disease.

The use of Pranayama increase the amount of 'chi' the body can use, for health and spiritual matters.

'Chi' can be used by the Inner and Higher-Self to help manifest your desires.

Start to breathe deeper when relaxing during the day and see what a difference it can make to how you feel.

Gerard Bulger is an IT Consultant who has been studying the Esoteric Sciences for many years, his latest ebook is http://www.magic-mind-method.co.uk.

He also sponsors Empowerism the Internet Mentoring System at http://www.empowerism101.com

Other Article Sites

findabook.com  moneycd.info  a-mortgage.info   about-lemon-laws.info  aboutstudentloans.info
all-about-publishing.info  auctions-articles.info  bestcollege-university.com  bestispconnection.com
biblefolder.com  blogger-website.com  books-used.info  brokers-guide.info  buywindows.info  cable-dsl.info
career-miner.com  carpel-tunnel.info  cashinaflash.info  cashloanreviews.info  casinobell.com  chat-house.info
clearmycredit.info  collegeloantips.info  crones.info  depression-articles.info   dirnic.net  dishguides.info
divers-below.com  expodog.info   financewizz.com  fire-insurance.info  getgood.info  handleit.net   it-idea.info
health-supplies.info  hosting-right.com  insidealert.com  insurance-facts.info  jobs-employment.info
justgood.info  lookgold.net   lowcost-travel.info  money-source.info  myhostzone.info  numisblog.com
peoplesearchfinder.info  pr-articles.info  realeas.com   refinancing-guides.info  spyware-remove.info
telelot.info  the-law.info   toppaid.info  travel-deals.info  travelcorrect.com  wedding-guide-site.com
your-blog.info  your-credit.info

MORE ARTICLES:

Travel Insurance When Pregnant Or Traveling With Children
There was a time when pregnant women would avoid traveling altogether, but these days women don't let pregnancy stop them from going abroad and having fun. Only you can decide whether the pros outweigh the cons when travelling while pregnant or with small children.

Home Internet Business Opportunities: Reinvent Your Family
Think about your daily job, daily responsibilities, time spent at meetings, driving your kids to this activity and that sporting event, meal planning and preparation, house cleaning, on and on with our grossly busy lives, and what time is left for our family? Do you really think that 9-5 JOB is the answer to all of our hopes and dreams? Do you really think it was our personal goal to spend the majority of our lives at work? When was the last time you saw your son/daughter play in that school volleyball game or run in their cross country meet? Isn?t it time to put your family first?

Families Mourning Children Travel to Nashville for July Compassionate Friends National Conference
The Compassionate Friends self-help support organization for families going through the natural grieving process following the death of a child is hosting its 31st national conference July 18-20 in Nashville, Tennessee. More than 1300 parents, siblings, and grandparents, as well as professionals who provide support, are expected to attend the conference. Highlights include well-known speakers, more than 100 workshops covering most aspects of grief following the death, a pre-conference Professional Outreach Day, and the Walk to Remember Sunday July 20 at 8 a.m. This conference is annually the largest in the United States aimed specifically for those left behind following the death of a child.

Home Based Internet Marketing Business - Staying Organized In Your Home Office
When working from home there is nothing more frustrating than not being able to find things when you need them. While most home business entrepreneurs see themselves as never having any time, you have to spend some of your time to organize things. If you can't daily, you should at least try for once a week, you should set aside some time to put things where it should be. Allot of people have a saying that there is a spot for everything and everything must be in its assigned place.

Low-Income Families in Portland Will Soon Have Free Broadband Internet at Home
Cricket Will Provide Free High-Speed Wireless Internet to 100 Portland Families in Pilot Program with One Economy

The Best Internet Connection For A Top Home Internet Business
When it comes to working at your home business one of the most important things you will need is internet access Having a fast and relatively error free Internet connection is imperative for a person to be successful in working at home

Making Time For Your Family and a New Internet Home Business
Starting your own internet home business can be a very fulfilling experience. It offers many new and exciting challenges, with the hopes of providing financial security for you and your family.

Children's Home Society & Family Services Receives Reaccreditation to Once Again Facilitate Adoptions in Russia
Children's Home Society & Family Services, a Minnesota-based international adoption service provider, announced today it has been re-accredited by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation to facilitate adoptions in that country.

Family Travel at its Finest - European Villa Rentals Perfect for the Whole Family
Parents can easily find family friendly villa rentals in Europe with Rentvillas.com.

SoGoNow.com -- Home of the Best Travel Article Written for the Internet in 2006
SoGoNow.com travel magazine announced that frequent contributor Linda Fasteson has won First Prize for the Best Travel Article Written for the Internet from The North American Travel Journalist Association.

Internet Home Based Business : Legitimate Work at Home Jobs Opportunities and Advantages
There are many advantages involved in choosing an internet home based business as your primary or secondary source of income Use these benefits to find a legitimate work at home jobs that suits your needs and desires

Online Magazine is Home to the Best Travel Writing on the Internet
For the second year in a row, SoGoNow.com is the home to the best travel article written for the internet as judged by the North American Travel Journalist's Association.

Internet Based Business: How Single Parents Could Earn Extra Income For The Entire Family
Are you a single parent who has been trying to support your children on a single income? If you have been having so much trouble making both ends meet with your present income, you might want to earn some extra money by setting up an internet based business. A big family with children can be very expensive and you definitely will need to earn some extra money to keep everyone comfortable. Having some extra money could really do wonders for you and your small children so you better start exploring other means of getting extra money for your children through an internet based business.

Sales of Children's Travel Bed Soar as Summer Travel Hits
Gentle Air has seen an increase in summer travel sales due to hotels at popular summer attractions charging high prices for rollaway beds and cots.