By Setareh Kiumarsi
Be gentle with yourself, and stop trying to do several things at once…
Instead, pause. Every hour or two, take a moment to practice deep, conscious, and proper breathing.
But why…?
When you multitask, your mind, brain, and head fill up with the elements of ether and air…
You become like a helium balloon, restless, floating, constantly bouncing and drifting.
Your mind becomes a whirlwind of movement, chatter, worries, fear, and anxiety—afraid it won’t be able to carry the heavy load you’ve piled on all at once.
So… why put yourself through that?
In all areas of life, instead of moving fast and frantically, try moving slowly and steadily. Pause every now and then. Take a breath.
Breath… don’t overlook this beautiful gift. Why?
Because breath is full of prana.
What is prana?
Prana means life force—the breath of life. It’s the very energy that keeps you conscious and alive.
It’s the vital force that enters your body through breathing and delivers oxygen to every single cell.
In fact, breathing is the act that turns this life force into awareness.
Have you ever noticed how babies breathe?
When they inhale, their belly puffs up like a balloon. And when they exhale, their belly pulls in.
Now observe yourself…
When you breathe in, it’s often a short, shallow breath—barely filling the top of your lungs, let alone reaching the middle of your torso or inflating your belly!
It’s like, if you were supposed to bring in 100 units of prana or oxygen with every breath, your shallow breathing might only manage 10.
It’s as if, as we grow older, we forget how to breathe properly and belly breathing is replaced with shallow, ineffective chest breathing.
Did you know that Oxygen is one of the most essential and nourishing “foods” for your body’s cells? Many scientists believe that oxygen deficiency in cells is a key factor in the development of cancer. Belly breathing significantly supports your digestion.
Every time you expand your belly with an inhale and contract it with an exhale, you’re helping your intestines move. You’re massaging your intestines, pancreas, stomach, and liver; stimulating them to release enzymes, bile, and digestive acids.
So… retrain yourself to breathe from your belly.
Wherever you are during the day, take a moment to do 12 deep, long, belly breaths.
Make a little pact with yourself.Each week, bring one small, effective, healing Ayurvedic habit into your life. How does that sound?
May you—and your breath—be full of health.
Please make sure to credit the author, Setareh Kiumarsi, when sharing or republishing this article, which was written with love and the hope of good health for everyone.
