In various esoteric teachings - yoga, qigong, tai chi, various meditations - great attention is paid to breathing practices. It is believed that Prana - cosmic energy - comes to us along with everything that enters our body: the sun, food, emotions, information and, of course, air.
Breathing practices are included in a wide variety of teachings. We do not immediately recommend that you turn to breathing practices on your own, especially if you just want to start learning them. The fact is that breathing practices carry a fairly strong load on the body. And this load can be useful only if it is performed correctly. Any deviation from the correct implementation of breathing practices leads to serious negative consequences for the body.
Breathing practices are based on deep breathing with slow and infrequent inhalation and exhalation. As a rule, Europeans tend to breathe shallowly. And shallow breathing, and excessively deep and rapid breathing are equally not useful for our body. There should be enough oxygen in the blood - not too little, but not too much. Then the cells and systems of our body will have enough "nutrient material" without which they cannot live.
Part of the breathing practices are based on slowing down and holding the breath. Some teachings claim that you can “slow down the heart rate” and the frequency of inhalation and exhalation to increase your lifespan. Naturally, this cannot be achieved independently by an effort of will. Long-term meditative practices lead to a global restructuring of the whole organism and the principles of its work. This is why it is so important to do this only under the guidance of an experienced coach and teacher.
It is believed that together with breathing we receive energy from space. Cosmic energy is an inexhaustible source from which we can eat every day of our life and, in theory, never get tired, first of all physically. Breathing, correct from the point of view of Eastern practices, allows you to use this cosmic source of energy as efficiently as possible.
In martial arts, breathing practices are used to concentrate one's own energy and release it efficiently. Therefore, during the exercise, the fighters make quite vigorous exhalations and even shouts - so that the energy invested in the effort made goes out with the exhalation.
The theory of esoteric breathing has also passed into modern practices. For example, Pilates or Calanetics, which have appeared relatively recently and have taken over many of the Eastern teachings and practices, also include clear and disciplined work on your breathing.
So, esoteric breathing practices allow you to get more energy for your body, get tired less and, like all Eastern practices, improve spiritually. Due to its powerful and complex effect on all structures of the body, these practices should be carried out only under the guidance of an experienced teacher and mentor with appropriate education.
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Author: Svetlana Belova