Yoga and the Breath: The Body's Built-In Stress Reliever

In yoga, we coordinate our movement with breath, inhaling when the body expands and exhaling when it contracts.  The difference between exercise and yoga is the breath.  The breath is considered to be the bridge between our body and mind.  Breath awareness allows the mind to become steady and strong and increases awareness (the ability to “live in the now”). 

The benefits of breathing in a yoga posture include: (1) increases focus on the pose; (2) improves overall concentration; (3) helps eliminate stress; (4) calms emotions; and (5) improves physical coordination.

Most of us breathe shallowly; depriving our bodies of oxygen while insufficient exhalation causes toxins to build up in the body.  In yoga, we learn how to use a three-part breath to engage the lungs in the abdominal, intercostal and sub-clavicle regions. 

Unlike modern medicine, which is largely based on disease and treatment, yoga encourages us to improve our health and vitality.  Regular practice of yogic breathing techniques will calm and relax the mind.  A recent NPR piece promotes the breath not only as the body’s built-in stress reliever, but also as scientifically proven to affect the heart, brain, digestion and immune function.  “And the best part is that the ingredients are free and literally under your nose.” 

Meditation: So Hum, So Hum, So Hum.

While meditation can help you to reduce stress and bring peace and tranquility, its regular practice can enable you to realize your divine nature.  The “so hum” meditation is a mantra meditation meaning that it is a word or phrase that can be repeated to quiet the mind.  The repetition of a mantra will bring out the qualities of the phrase being cultivated.  For example, if you chant words of compassion, the repetition of the mantra will bring forth the energy of compassion. 

So hum is a natural mantra meaning that it is a reflection of the sound of the breath and therefore can be repeated without effort.  Sit in a comfortable position and place your palms upward, fingers in jnana mudra (forefinger and thumb touching).  Let your mind become absorbed in the sounds of your internal chanting, “so” on the in-breath and “hum” on the out-breath.  So hum is a mantra of breath.  By quieting your breath, you will quiet your mind.  Pause between your in-breath and out-breath.  Bring your focus into this space.   Allow the energy in this pause to expand.  Focus on your breath, then on the vibration of the tones.  This begins to open the doorway of balance and healing.

In meditation, you are trying to quiet your mind and detach from your everyday thoughts and emotions.  By sitting quietly and focusing on your breath, you will feel more relaxed even if you don’t quiet your mind completely.  Meditation will allow you to go beyond your intellect and enable you to access your spiritual self where you will begin to feel a oneness with other people and things.  With regular mediation, an expansion of consciousness occurs which will bring forth inner peace and joy.  Like mastering an instrument, however, regular practice is required.