We used to breathe like a baby – don’t give up the gift of nature!
If there is one thing that you can do to boost your health and intellect, it is breathing.
We breathe every second of my life — it does not matter whether we are awake or asleep, happy or sad. So if we can do something to derive more from the activity, the accumulative effect is tremendous.
One very simple thing you can do is: breathe as if you were born yesterday!
It’s natural and powerful!
But are you not breathing in the same way as a baby?
If you observe carefully how a baby breathe, you’d realise that most adults are not – and do not be surprised if you are one of them.
How does a baby breathe differently? Well, instead of bring the breath to their lungs, she brings the breath all the way to their abdomen. We may call this abdomen breathing.
It is a better way to breathe. It helps us to get a stronger supply of oxygen into our blood stream. It also lowers stress and improves focus and physical performance.
Check again. Is abdomen breathing the way you breathe now? If it’s not, this means that you are like most other adults who have lost the habit. Just bring it back! It’s very simple, even though you may find it a little awkward at the beginning.
What you do is when you inhale, instead of bringing the breath to the lung and stay there, you bring it all the way to the abdomen. As a result, your stomach gently expands when you inhale, and contracts and goes back to the original position when you exhale.
Try feeling it by resting your hand on your abdomen while you breathe. It is a very natural process that requires no determined effort. In fact, it helps you to let go and relax, bringing you the additional benefit of peace of mind.
Try it today and regain the habit. You’ll not regret it!
“Can you focus your breath
as supple as a newborn child?Can you cleanse your vision
till there is no blemish?”Tao Te Ching – Chapter 10
