The Power of Learning to Breathe Properly

Did you know that breathing is the only essential bodily function performed unconsciously, that you can control consciously? Your body can go without food for months, water for weeks and yet your body can’t go without oxygen for more than a few minutes. Think about it.

The power of breath has been known in India for thousands of years. Any type of quality yoga combines two powerful elements, those of breathing and stretching. The word “spirit” in the Hebrew language or “life-force” can be translated into the word “breath”. You may recall in the bible it describes that god literally breathed the breath of life into Adam.

Our breath is quite literally our life force. Oxygen feeds every part of the body. Breathing deeply and slowly will relax you, while instantly sending powerful doses of oxygen to the brain and every single cell of the body.

One of the main reasons people find smoking relaxing is that they are taking slow deep breaths. It’s powerful enough to calm the system even while inhaling poisons. What would happen if it was done without the cigarette? It’s an interesting fact that the word “conspiracy” comes from a Latin word meaning two or more breathing in unison.

Carbon dioxide robs the body of oxygen. Carbon dioxide is poisonous to our body in high amounts and that?s exactly why we breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Breathing influences every organ in the body and balances the brain hemisphere. This is a profoundly important lesson: learn to breathe effectively.

Many people report that they’d like to be able to have the ability to relax. How much value would it be if you could relax at will? Being in a relaxed state has it’s side effects, you tend to be able to concentrate more, and retain information more easily. Could this be of use to you? My guess is probably yes.

Breathing deeply and evenly through both nostrils helps to synchronize both sides of the brain. The right nostril tends to stimulate the left side of the brain and the left stimulates the right side of the brain. Research has proven that the brain swaps the dominate nostril we breathe through every 90 minutes.

In addition, breathing has all sorts of physiological effects on the body, some very noticeable and others not so noticeable. Some physicians believe that breath is the doorway between the conscious and the unconscious mind. It can help relax and feed specific parts of the body, give greater control over the nervous system and often plays a large role in miraculous cures.
Breathing deeply puts us in what science calls a “kinesthetic” state; that is, a more feeling state. Some people believe god has created us with a fixed number of breaths. A definite advantage to breathe deeper.

Anytime you’re tired, stop and take ten deep breaths. I?m going to show you the best way to breathe. The best way to breathe is in the pit (or bottom) of your stomach. Why, you may ask? Few people know that the lungs extend beyond the rib cage, in fact 2/3 of the lungs sit below the lowest rib. Filling the larger portion of the lungs will literally explode your energy.

Do the exercise right now. You might as well apply what you’re learning? You do want to feel better, right? It’s so incredibly easy, yet so profoundly powerful. Breathe into the pit of your stomach. As deep as you can. Put your hand on the bottom of your stomach and push your stomach out as you breathe.

While you read this, relax and start breathing deeply. Make sure you breathe in through your nose. Now breathe as deeply as you can, hold it, as long as comfortable then breathe out through your mouth. Would you expect to go to the gym one time and say Great, now I’m fit for life and I’ll never need to work out again!? The answer is no. The same thing applies with breathing. You?ll notice an explosion in how you feel if you take this and use this.

The best thing about deep breathing is it can be done anywhere while you’re doing others things. You can do it while driving, sitting or working at a computer. I advise many of my clients who sit in front of a computer all day to learn to deep breath and keep their circulation moving by doing basic ankle exercises. Do this and the difference in your energy at the end of your day will be noticable.

This tool is simple and can be used anytime, anywhere. It helps lower stress, increase energy, aid mental clarity and infuse every cell in your body with the most precious element for the body, oxygen.

Dr. Edward Steiner has dedicated over 15 years to understanding nutrition and articulating complex information simply. He has worked internationally with indivduals who wish to improve their lives through the proper use of exercise and nutrition. He has condensed the best information he has discovered in 15+ years into one place at http://www.energyboostnow.com.

Karmic Yoga and Creation Spirituality

To remain involved in Karmic Yoga and derive the joys that come as a result of service one must somehow embrace the ideas that underlie Creation Spirituality. Creation Spirituality, not to be confused with Creation Theology, is described by Matthew Fox as the Christian Mystic Tradition. It is a tradition that has been all but erased, especially in many institutional churches. When we look at the history of Christianity, however, and especially the monastic movement, we can find traces of Creation Spirituality.

Creation spirituality, as defined by Matthew Fox, involves the acceptance of four paths or ways. Here I will give a general overview, but we will explore each path in subsequent articles. The first path is the Via Positiva. The Via Positiva experience is the natural condition of the human being at peace. It is a time of rest and a time of stillness where one is full of potential energy, but also very much at peace and in a state of balance. The second is the Via Negativa. On this path one?s balance has been disrupted. Something has come into one?s life that causes a shift in one?s thinking, or ones opinion about the world. One is force to reform her or his opinion about the world and life. Part of the self dies during this shift and it doesn?t feel good. The old maladaptive dies and seeds of that which will be new begin to sprout. The third is the Via Creativa. During this phase the seed begins to sprout. One achieves balance again at a higher state with more clarity and awareness about reality. The fourth is the Via Transformative. During this phase one integrates the changes that she experiences into he life. The change is integrated to the extent that she becomes a large, transformed individual. As we live, breath and strive to link with the Divine, we are walking on all of these paths.

They are not hierarchical paths, or linear. We can be on different paths in different areas of our lives at the same time. The main idea running through this concept of the paths and creation spirituality is that we are still in the process of being created just like the universe. We go through all of these paths repeatedly and never complete them.

The universe is not complete. The same divine power that has been working in the universe since the time of it?s creation is still working not only out there somewhere, but also inside us. We, like the universe, through many experiences are changing and growing, becoming something more than we are at this very moment. If we choose well we can learn and do things that will help us move toward the light and becoming the image of the Divine more quickly, if not we may be caught of in the cares of the world and lose ourselves in the Maya (Illusion) of the world.

Much pressure and heat is required to create a diamond. Some stones become diamonds, but some just become coal. The human being is in the position where he can decide to become a diamond or become coal. As we do Karmic Yoga we are taking a path that will lead us to becoming a diamond. As we realize that the universe is still in process and that we are part of the universe and still in process ourselves the pressure lessons, but we obtain the same results.

As we do Karmic Yoga in this mindset it becomes clear that we are not only helping other people, we are not only helping the environment, in the larger sense, we are helping ourselves, because we are the world. We are the environment and the universe. More scary that all of this, we are those people that we are helping. As The Mayans often say, ?All is God, God is all.?

As we work and devote our lives to Karmic Yoga let us remember that we are one not only in theory, but in reality according to quantum physics and social psychology. It is important to also lead others to realize who and what they actually are. Putting aside the foolishness and deception, as we embrace our true identities, we work hard to clear our minds and let the primordial light of love and justice flow from the center of our beings like an fountain bubbling into everlasting life. This is the goal of Karmic Yoga?to bring the water of the Spirit of Truth to desert places in order to quench the thirst of those who need love, truth, justice, and freedom on this sometimes lonely earth. As we remove the barriers created by the mind and through mental manipulation we will find this earth is not a lonely place, it is a veritable garden and we, the Karmic Yogis of the world, are those who work to help it flourish.

Dr. J. W. Gilmore is a Writer, Spiritual Coach, Anti-oppression Consultant and Wellness Consultant. He is a Certified Massage Therapist and Reflexologist, a Reiki Master Teacher, a Martial Arts Instructor and a Spiritual Coach living in Costa Rica. For more article like this or similar information, and information on our new Cyber School, visit: http://www.dswellness.com

Reunion of Souls, Dr. John W.Gilmore. A book of deep spirituality in Sci-fi form.

Yoga is a Journey, Not a Destination

If you wish to know how you are doing in your practice - look at your reactions - look at your life. Unless we connect ‘off’ the mat, bringing our practice into daily life, then any insights and breakthroughs will be of no great value. You may be great at practising yoga on the mat, or sitting quietly in a room - But how are you at practising it in your relationships - with your mother, your son, your neighbour, your boss? As you will your body on the yoga mat to let go of tension and stress, do you remember to do the same with resentment and irritations in daily life? The next time you tell someone that you are sorry, even for bumping into them on the street - really feel it, do you mean it?

By answering questions like this - you will find out how you are doing in your practice. You may feel that you are not doing so well once you take a look at your yoga in your life - but this points out the areas that need practice. Just as it takes time to perfect a forward bend, bit by bit the spine becomes flexible and free, the same will happen with daily practice applied in other areas of your life. To be aware of what needs work is no bad thing.

The most powerful transformations are ones established over time, ones which have deeps roots. At times you will feel like you are getting nowhere, and then something will happen and your ‘new’ reaction will show you how far you have come. You will begin to have clarity in what once were confusing situations, and by really knowing who you are you will make decisions with detachment as well as love and compassion. When a fear arises, try not to stamp it out or ignore it, welcome it, acknowledge it. Just as in a yoga posture - find the edge and work with it - in time you find that the edge is not actually the place to be avoided but it is indeed your path - to be followed. By knowing this is the path you will come to realise that it is a journey and not a destination and small steps is the only way it can be travelled if you want to absorb all life has to offer. Run too fast and you may fall and hurt yourself, you will miss the beauty around you and the opportunity to engage fully with others.

‘Yoga is a journey, not a destination’ - there will always be somewhere to go. The next time you wish to measure your progress, take a look at your life as a whole - the emotions that arise in daily situations and the fears which arise in decision making, as well as during yoga postures.

Lorna Littlewing is the Webmaster of http://www.yogabhoga.co.uk, http://www.ompixels.com, and http://www.rawfoodhomepage.com

Karmic Yoga and the Inner Work

It was said that the Dalai Lama meditates four hours a day. When one of his close associates were asked how he spend so much time meditating with his busy schedule he said that the Dalai Lama ?meditated for other people, rather then himself.? He also said that the meditation ?allowed him to do the work.? The way he was affected by his spiritual path gave him the patience and energy to work with others. The ripples that he sent out while working with others were more positive because of this, so his meditation and self care actually created a win, win situation for everyone involved.

As we speak of Karmic Yoga many people think of it as doing only the outer work Mistakenly they think that the outer work is enough. They think that concentrating on working on the outside will make the work that needs to be done on the inside happen automatically. To the contrary, the truth is that a unhealthy and unhealed inside will taint and dampen one?s abilities and effectiveness on the outside. But if one uses their energy on the inside, instead of on the outside, doing the inner work and cultivating character, clarity, and joy while doing the outer-work, eventually the outer work will take care of itself.

The outer work will flourish because of what is happening on the inside. One?s performance will be the fruit of a healthy, loving individual and will come from a core of being, rather than an act of performing. One of the main tasks of all yoga, especially Karmic, is to free oneself from attachment not only to things, but to Maya, or the way that we have been taught to believe things are.
The world of Maya is the world of illusion. It was a world put together piece by piece to help us understand our world. Maya gives us the illusion that we can predict what is going to happen in our lives. It gives us the illusion that we can control nature and control other people. It takes away our fear and gives us comfort, but Maya, in fact, is an illusion. It is a tool created in order to comfort us, as well as being a poor substitution for faith.
If we work on the inside through meditation, contemplation, and prayer, we break free from the illusion and enter into reality. We reconnect with and become one with the divine presence in the world?the creative power that we call god. We then use Maya as it was meant, as a tool, or a doorway to enter and exit as is necessary, to get things done in the physical world. This can only be done by being engaged in the inner work. The inner work is difficult. It means going inside and challenging all of our ideas about the world. It means letting go of our false identity and claiming our true one. This work is difficult when we have conditioned for so many years and when every book, movie, television show, newspaper, and even friends and relatives keep feeding us an identity that really isn?t ours. Letting go is like a death?the death before resurrection.
As you do the great work of Karmic Yoga, working to make the world a better place, remember that the inner work is always necessary. It is something that you must do to remain healthy, strong, and to stay in touch with reality. Not only the reality of the world, but the reality of your greater self. When this is done your work will come from the heart and you will fill the world with the joy of your spirit.

Dr. J. W. Gilmore is a Writer, Spiritual Director, Anti-oppression Consultant and Wellness Consultant. He is a Certified Massage Therapist and Reflexologist, a Reiki Master Teacher, a Martial Arts Instructor and a Spiritual Coach living in Costa Rica. For more article like this or similar information visit: http://www.dswellness.com
On Being Love?s Warrior: A Warrior?s Manual on Becoming the Compassionate Warrior Within, Dr. Kendall Ronin.