 
Conscious breathing is not complicated. You
can do it all day, that would even be a very good idea, but it can also
be very enlightening if you would do it one or two times a day for 15
minutes.
Jed McKenna on 'Breathing'.
"Actually, most people would function a lot more smoothly
and easily a lot more of the time if they’d just learn to breathe
correctly. Practically everyone restricts their breathing to the upper
part of the lungs, so that the chest expands and not the belly.
"The result of this shallow breathing is that we operate in a
perpetual panic mode, as if all of life was a fight-or-flight situation.
This causes the mental state of dis-ease that we accept as normal
and from which we seek escape through addictions and distractions.
"It disrupts our activity during the day and our rest at night.
When we breathe into our entire lungs by expanding the diaphragm,
we automatically create a mental state of composure and ease, which
is then reflected in our environment.
"How telling is it that we are a society of people who don’t
even know how to breathe? Hello? At what more basic level could we
possibly fail? And what’s more than that, how telling is it
that when we are made aware of this crippling flaw, most of us will
do absolutely nothing to correct it because our vanity won’t
allow us to expand our tummies?"
From: 'Spiritual Incorrect Enlightenment'
How to breathe.
I'm now going to tell you, as part of Integration,
how to breathe consciously even though you think you know how.
Sit down at a place where you will not be disturbed. Make sure you're
comfortable. Do not lie down and do not sit on a bed, because a bed
is automatically and unconsciously associated with 'sleep'. Sit upright.
Make sure your breathing is constant. Inhalation should be as long
as exhalation and the breathing should be continuous. 'Continuous
breathing' means that you do not hold your breath after inhaling and
do not pause between exhaling and inhaling.
Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your nose as
well (unless your nose is clogged). When you inhale you need to use
your diaphragm, making your belly expand instead of your chest. This
is the only method to use your full lung capacity and to ensure optimal
oxygen uptake.
Concentrate on the breathing, inhale consciously and exhale
consciously. This will keep your mind 'here now in this
moment' as much as possible and keep it from straying to the
dishes you need to do or the appointments you must keep. If your mind
still wanders — and it undoubtedly will — then that's
not a disaster. When you notice it wandering you bring your concentration
back to the breathing.
You will notice that it really matters how you breathe. Even if you
think you have been breathing perfectly well all your life the effects
will show you that you are mistaken. Take your time, as with everything,
so the 'mind-body system' can come to rest and to itself.
A Brief Summary.
- Make sure that you can spare 15 minutes of your time;
- Sit down at a place where you will not be disturbed;
- Sit upright but comfortable;
- Breathe in and out through your nose;
- Connect the breathing without pauses or 'holding your breath';
- The inhalation is as long as the exhalation;
- Breathe from the diaphragm;
- Concentrate on breathing so you automatically are 'here now
in this'.
Recommended Reading:
 |
The Presence Proces
by
Michael Brown |
|
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