The Power Of Breath Work

Conscious Breathing has been a part of Yoga and dates back as far as 5000 years. At the heart of yoga practice are various forms of breathing exercises known as pranayama or breathe control. In most ancient languages, Breath and Spirit meant the same thing.  Prana (vital or life force) circulates in the body, influencing mental and physical health, as well as the quality of our consciousness. If the circulation of life force is blocked due to past trauma, stress or injury, illness can result. If our life force is weak, we lose our ability to concentrate. We will feel fatigued and lack energy. If it is disturbed, our minds and emotions become disturbed.

Did you know:

The average person breathes between 18,000-20,000 breaths per day. This totals an average of 5,000 gallons of air.

           90% of the nutrition needed by the body comes from the oxygen we breathe. Only 10% comes from the food we eat and without sufficient oxygen, we will not get proper nutrition from our food. Oxygen is the fuel that burns our food.

           We can go 10 -14 days without food, 4 days without liquids, hours without heat but only 4 minutes without air before brain damage occurs.

           Air is the most quickly distributed element in the body. It immediately enters the blood stream as oxygen.

           Each breath nourishes and feeds the circulatory system. Deeper breathing enhances cellular activity and there fore strength.

           Only three percent of body waste is expelled through defecation and only a further seven percent through urination.  The skin is responsible for a further twenty percent of the discharge of body waste. 

          Seventy percent of bodily waste matter is breathed out.

            The rate of blood flow at the top of the lungs is less than a tenth of a litre per minute.                                      By contrast, the bottom of the lungs has a blood flow at a rate of over a litre per minute. With proper diaphragmatic breathing we can increase our capacity to discharge waste material ten times; our breathing rate can drop from 14-15 breaths per minutes to 8-12; we become more deeply oxygenated and our lungs and heart don’t have to work as hard.

According to one medical researcher, seventy-five percent of the ills people bring to their doctors are related to poor breathing. 

  Conscious Breathing allows us to release and resolve emotions, stresses and memories which are often inaccessible through the more conventional talking therapies. Breathing, beyond the basic need for survival, acts as a bridge between spirit, mind, and body; a bridge between the conscious and the subconscious. “Breath Integration” is one of the quickest ways to open our hearts to love and inner peace, and to fill our bodies with life and health. Connecting the inhale with the exhale consciously and continuously is one of the most effective ways of connecting us to our bodies, our thoughts and emotions, to each other, nature and existence itself. 

The effects of this transformational breath process can be identified on at least four levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

1)    Physically Conscious Breathing reduces stress and releases pain that may be held in the body.

2)    Mentally, it helps us become conscious of beliefs and patterns in our unconscious, which are preventing us from manifesting what we desire.

3)    Emotionally, breath-work allows us to release and integrate what we have suppressed.

4)    Spiritually, Conscious Breathing awakens our intuitive powers and our awareness of our essential innocence. In other words, we become fully conscious, conscious thinkers, conscious feelers, conscious breathers, and conscious participants in our own life experience.

 
“There is no single more powerful or simple daily practice to further your health and well-being than Breathwork.” Andrew Weil, MD

Testimonies 

“One of the most profound spiritual experiences of my life. A dark cloud of anxiety was lifted and I saw, once again, that life was full of possibilities” Peter,

“Breathing is such a powerful tool to get in touch with what is really going on with my feelings” Dick,  

 “The Breath sessions were extremely powerful for moving energy (especially emotional energy) I felt very safe with your leadership and presence during the session. It was so respectfully done” Jan, Castlegar, B.C.,

Blanche Tanner, Master Breath Practitioner, Family and Human Systems Constellation Facilitation, Meditation Instructor, Blanche has been involved with personal growth, spiritual awareness and healing work for over 35 years. For more info or to book a session call 250-227-6877 or e-mail lifeshift@bluebell.ca Web site, www.lifeshiftseminars.com