Pranayama | Breathing meditation | The Breath of lifeThe Importance of BreathPranayama: Of the five basic actions needed to sustain life in the physical world, the one that can be suspended for the shortest period of time, without any adverse effects is the breath. The breath, therefore, is the most essential. The quality of our breath affects our nervous system and body chemistry as well as our mental and emotional states. Consequently, every other aspect of our lives are affected by the quality of our breath. Because we breathe virtually all of the time, it is easy for us to overlook the importance of breath. There is an entire Limbof yoga dedicated to pranayama, which is the control of the life force. Though we can control prana in many ways, the rbeath is regaurded as the primary tool. PranayamaPranayamaPranaPrana is the universal life force prevading the cosmos. It is more subtle than air. During pranayama, breathing is made mroe refined; this life energy is distilled from the air, and is distributed and stored within our body.The universal Energy Unites with the individual soul in the form of the breath. In exhalation, the midn and ego are subdued as the outgoing breath flows back into the external universe.
|
