[Photo credits: Underwater Bubbles by Elena Kalis]
“Slowly I surrender, sink deeply into her womb as darkness surrounds me. Noises become nothing else but a subtle rustle. The waves in my hear follow the flow of her breath. Silence, comfort, peace …
When I was a child I loved the silence under water, I loved the comforting slight pressure of the ocean that embraced me, she took her in my arms. I dreamed of becoming a sea creature and play with her just
as a surfer riding the waves.
But as much as I dreamed to stay save inside her far away from adulting, my breath always brought me back to the surface
I needed oxygen to survive.” ~ Mata ~
This short Ted-talk of Guillaume Néry: “The exhilarating peace of freediving” brought me back to those days I was a long distance ocean-swimmer, to those moments where I floated for hours on the ocean, drifting away until there was nothing left but pure consciousness of being present.
This is exactly what meditation leads us to. We quiet our mind until there is nothing left but pure awareness. An awakened state of the present moment where there is no time, no doubts, no thoughts of worries or actions you’re driven to accomplish.
Just you in that moment of time and space, feeling free in complete peace. In that very moment, our breath becomes still, very subtle or even stops naturally which we call in Yogic terms kumbhaka.
“The tides of the sea are the breath of the earth” ~ Mata ~
In this short post I’d like to bring to your attention: why we should become more aware of our breath, the importance of proper breathing and where our daily oxygen is coming from.
The way we breathe has a huge impact on our mental state and nervous system. Most of the times we are unaware we are doing it because it is our body's automatic response to breathe for us about 17,000 times a day.
As we take control of our breath, we increase our awareness and therefore start being more present without our mind taking control over us. We start living more presently, become more calm, more acceptant and conscious of our day to day actions.
HOW CAN WE CONTROL OUR BREATH?
Pranayama, or breath control are specific yogic breathing techniques were we control our breathing functions. Those different techniques are designed in such way that each one performs certain actions, such as balancing the nervous system, incresing our concentration, increasing or decreasing our body heat, and increasing our (spiritual) awareness where calmness suddenly submerges.
In the video above from Guillaume Néry, we can see how breathing techniques have found their way to divers. Not only divers but many other sports activities use breathing techniques. They increases mental focus. Therefore we have the ability to gain control to steer our inner power (energy) towards achieving a new record or defeating an opponent. So yogic practices aren’t the only activities that bring awareness to the way we breathe.
Another way of giving attention to our breath is becoming more thankful to our daily free produced delivery of fresh oxygen. As well as to remind yourself on why we need this oxygen. Not only will you become more grateful to the air you inhale but also to your body and our nature, the plants, the trees and our planet.
WHY DO WE BREATHE?
Breathing in oxygen is more vital to us than drinking water or food. Without oxygen we simple don't survive. It is proven by many yogis that we are able to live without food or water and of oxygen only. But without oxygen our brain and body will no longer function.
Why is breathing in oxygen so important? Because our cells turn this oxygen into cellular energy, called prana.
The cells do this by completely breaking down glucose (sugar) into carbon dioxide (which you breathe out, exhalation) and water (secretion of body fluids, perspiration, digestion …).
In short, oxygen feeds our cells with energy, controls our body heat and remove toxin's from our body in various ways.
WHAT IS OUR MAIN SOURCE OF OXYGEN?
Our planet, “Mother Earth” manufactures this at free of costs for us. Just so we can life and enjoy this live with her.
The main source of atmospheric free oxygen is photosynthesis, which produces sugars and free oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. For this we need our planet, the earth, it’s plants, trees, the greenery on the land and in the waters ... And this plant world needs sunlight, water and air to survive.
I shall leave my small talk here for you to have a breath and end with a praise to Bhoomi Devi or Bhudevi, the Earth Goddess, in Vedic Philosophy perceived as Mother Earth, the one who gives us all.
ॐ Aum Vasundharaya Vidhmahe
Bhutadhatraya Dhīmahi
Tannó Bhumih Pracodayāt
Aum Śānṭiḥ Śānṭiḥ Śānṭiḥ ॐ
Translation: “Let us meditate upon Bhumi Devi, the one who provides us everything.
Let her bless us all with abundance.”
[Photo credits: Apurba Bhattacharyya]
Sources:
Brainstuff: Why Do We Need Oxygen To Survive? [https://youtu.be/LM_CgtFORzw]
Brain Post: Why Do We Breathe? [https://snowbrains.com/brain-post-why-do-we-breathe/]
Oxygen’s surprisingly complex journey through your body - Enda Butler [https://youtu.be/GVU_zANtroE]
Bhoomi Devi Mantra: [https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/earth-day-time-to-remember-bhoomi-devi/4658]