Find your breath

Most of us take breathing for granted. It happens whether we pay attention or not, so we stop paying attention.

Yoga takes the breath very seriously. The practice of working with it is called pranayama, usually translated as breath control, and in some traditions it is counted as one of the five principles of yoga. The idea is that the breath affects the body, the mind and the spirit all together, and that working with it gives the body more energy.

Short and shallow

When life is fast and full of stress, it is hard to breathe to your full capacity. The breath gets short. It sits high in the chest and moves quickly, and it rarely fills the lungs anywhere near the way it could.

Pranayama works the other way. Its techniques are said to help increase lung capacity and to bring the breath back into balance. Teachers say a steadier, fuller breath supports digestion and concentration and brings some peace of mind. Regular practice is also said to ease stress, lift your outlook and leave you with a general sense of well being.

It is said to make meditation easier as well, which makes sense. It is hard to sit still with a racing breath.

Nothing to buy

One of the nicest things about breath work is how little it asks of you. There is no cost and no special equipment. You need a place to sit and a few minutes.

And you carry it with you everywhere. The breath is there in the car, in a waiting room, in bed at three in the morning when the mind will not settle. It may be the easiest practice there is to reach.

It does help to have someone guide you the first few times, so you are not guessing. Sunday Mornings, my free weekly quiet hour, begins with breath before the guided meditation. It is a gentle place to start, and nobody minds if you watch it later in the day.

From the archive. First written for my journal years ago, and rewritten for life after 50.