Breath is life. The breath carries the vital life force that sustains the spirit and energy bodies as well as the oxygen that sustains and nourishes and cleanses the physical. As the body is the natural home of the inner child self this nourishment is a requirement that calls for constant awareness and tending.
Woundings result in blockages of energy and breath. When the breath is stopped the energies that were riding it out of the body are stored in tissue and cells…temporarily in theory. The breath is a primary vehicle for clearing out these resistances. Doing so consistently will prevent build up and the movement towards eventual disease.
It follows that in order to keep the child nourished from within, being conscious of breath and how to use it for a variety of purposes is a useful tool and knowledge to have and apply as necessary. Here are three useful breathing techniques that will serve the bulk of your moments.
Relaxation Breath
Breathe in through the nose slowly and deeply for a count; pause at the fullness point for a count; release out through the mouth slowly and measured for a count; and then hold for a count when all the air is released. This is a cycle that increases duration the better one becomes practiced. Start with a count of 6-4-6-4 and move towards at least a 10-6-10-6. This will result in a calming and a centering that will assist the inner runaway child, especially in agitation or fear.
Activating Breath
When feeling sluggish and tired and there is need to complete the tasks at hand then this breath borrowed from Kundalini Yoga is very effective. It is called breath of fire. Breathing in through the nose to the belly at a rapid pace supercharges the system with oxygen and chi, the life force. It is akin to the panting dog in that is like a bellow at the belly pushing and pulling the air in and out. Work up to a minute. The muscles of the abdomens will need to adjust and move towards the flexibility to use them in such a manner. But it will happen fairly quickly.
Circular Breathing
This is a breath that supports the conscious supportive release of flowing emotion. It was born in the work of Rebirthing founder, Leonard Orr, in the seventies. Essentially it is the circle of breathing in and then breathing out with no pause at the inhalation or the exhalation. This is the way we breathed as an infant. It is designed to constantly clear the body of energetic debris. It will quickly assist in moving tears or pushing anger out or releasing the fear in the cells.
Cleansing Breath
Finally, let’s add the cleansing breath as it clears the lungs for deeper more effective utilization of chi and oxygen. Breathe deeply through the nose into the belly and hold. Then force multiple and sequential bursts of air out through pursed lips. When it feels like you are out of air, do several more as this comes from the deepest part of the bottom of the lung where, typically, air stagnates. You will quickly experience a capacity to get more air in for each inhalation.
In general, focused breathing efforts that are full lunged will restart your original design. Breathing will be deeper and slower and more cleansing, empowering and powerful.
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