The Power Of Breath

I was recently in my car heading for work when I noticed a stiffness in my neck and shoulders. It was obvious that I hadn’t taken the time to practice my usual morning routine before setting off into the day. As I paused and paid attention, I noticed my tongue pressed firmly to the roof of my mouth, my jaw clenched, my posture imbalanced enough that my head was tilting back and squeezing slightly at the base of my skull, and my breathing was shallow, short, and up in my chest. Yes- all physical stress triggers were engaged!
Like many, I did not have any useful stress management training in my younger years. I hadn’t been aware that ignoring these small physical engagements could turn into an elevated state of discomfort. I was unaware of how serious the mind-body connection is. There came a time in life that the discomfort became so great that it couldn’t be ignored, sending me on an 8 year quest for answers. I now have the ability to move myself into a more mindful state of awareness and create relief instead of emotional or physical distress. All it takes is practice.
Now, more than ever, it is important for us all to purposely redefine what health feels and looks like, and to understand how we can personally and responsibility take part in what needs to change. I am fixated on providing others the space to understand the power of breath. With good training and practice, everyone can utilize their own breath to create big changes in their mental and physical state of being. In fact, if you can breathe then you can heal yourself, in many ways.
We understand that the autonomic nervous system regulates certain body processes, such as the rate of breathing. However, without a person’s conscious effort, many spend the day breathing without attention to how, why, and when our breathing changes; or even stops. By tapping into our subtle energy networks- using the breath in particular, we gain access to a powerful tool for regulating our responses to stress. Particular breathing strategies can be used as a tool to help many people to manage their thoughts, moods, and experiences. Energy likes to move and flow. Breath holding is just one habit that triggers an ongoing pause in that cycle of movement which causes stress in the mind-body. As a former habitual breath holder, I encourage anyone dealing with chronic stress or anxiety, to pay attention to yourself this week. How often do you notice you’re actually holding your breath? Pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth? Clenching your jaw? Pinching at the base of your skull?
The great news is that once you can pinpoint how you’re personally creating some of the stress in your mind-body, it becomes easier to find the remedy to change it. Focusing on the timing and pace of our breath can have positive effects on our body and mind. In fact, several brain regions linked to emotion, attention, and body awareness are activated when we pay attention to our breath. That’s right, we can personally alter our state of mind and how we physically feel, by learning how to breath in different ways.
Remember, our emotions that are unattended to show up in our physical mind-bodies as aches, pains, and eventually disease. We can’t control everything around us, but luckily we all have
the ability to train new breathing habits, develop healthy energy patterns, and find the mental and physical relief we are all so desperately seeking.

Tekla Frates is RYT 200 Yoga Instructor and Studio Manager at Meredith Whole Living Center.