Energy Healing
Breath
How many breaths do you take in a day? According to the Canadian and American Lung Associations, adults breathe on average 12 to16 times per minute or 20,000 to 22,000 times per day. Breathing is a natural process governed by the autonomic nervous system and is essential for our survival. It is of utmost importance that we breathe properly to support the vital functions of breath.
Breathing facilitates:
respiration in the exchange of gases, taking oxygen from the air into the bloodstream and eliminating waste or carbon dioxide;
regulation of pH levels in the body;
protection of the lungs in filtering dust and germs;
vibration of the vocal chords by exhaled air to produce speech and sound;
transportation of inhaled air to the olfactory nerves to provide a sense of smell.
Many of us engage in shallow, chest breathing but the most effective way is deep, diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly or abdominal breathing. This video from the New York Presbyterian Hospital shows us how to breathe properly.
https://www.google.com/search?q=breathe+properly+video&oq=breathe+properly+video&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yDQgCEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgDEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyBwgEEAAY7wUyBwgFEAAY7wUyBwgGEAAY7wXSAQoxNzA1MmowajE1qAIIsAIB8QWkOCT7gfZ3mw&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:1b2367f6,vid:Mg2ar-7_HfA,st:0
In his highly acclaimed book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, James Nestor explains why and how it is necessary to breathe properly for optimum health and wellness.
The benefits of deep breathing include:
improved cardiovascular health;
efficient blood circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to all cells of the body;
decreased blood pressure;
lowered heart rate;
enhanced body detoxification through lymphatic drainage and elimination of carbon dioxide;
strengthened immune system;
better sleep;
higher energy levels with increased oxygen, the body’s fuel;
for lasting relaxation and sense of well being, find balance in the daily practice of Tai Chi, as introduced in the Gentle Movements video from Alberta Lung. YouTube/watch?v=8xUbTexqAQ0
Although breathing is an automatic process for human beings, breath can also be consciously and voluntarily controlled. When this occurs, many interesting paths open.
We create a bridge from the physical to the emotional to reduce negative energy and increase positive feelings.
Anger, anxiety or fear can be dispelled by taking several deep breaths. Within the autonomic nervous system, this switches the breath from sympathetic (high rate; fight or flight) to parasympathetic (low rate; rest and digest).
Symptoms of depression may be alleviated by deep breathing as neurotransmitters of serotonin and dopamine are released. The increase of oxygen to the brain heightens energy levels and elevates mood by producing endorphins.
We can combine deep breathing with frequency therapies to reduce stress and heal on a cellular level.
In Light Therapy, breathwork is the foundation of a holistic view of health and wellness. It relaxes the body, reduces the stress hormone cortisol, and prepares the person for cellular rejuvenation.
Applications of red and near-infrared light at a wavelength of 660 to 850 nm, work through the process of photo biomodulation to heal deep tissue, relieve joint pain, promote muscle recovery, and reduce inflammation.
The combination is synergistic!
Light Therapy home-use devices are found at Joovv and EnergyLounger.
Sound Therapy and deep breathing attain the same synergetic effect, that is, realizing an outcome greater than the sum of its parts.
As deep breathing induces a welcomed state of relaxation, sound created by gongs, tuning forks, crystal or Himalayan singing bowls, moves past the mind to penetrate the cells of our body, dissolving stress, clearing blockages, and healing our dis-ease.
Deep Space Soundscape provides a Guide:
https://deepspacesound.life/blog/breathwork-sound-healing-synergy-guide
When we engage in intentional breathing we connect to spiritual realms.
Shamanism –
Shamanic breathwork has ancient roots passed through the generations in oral tradition and ritual experience. The practice is common to peoples around the globe but is specific to each nation, tribe, band or clan. Deep breathing is often connected (continuous inhale and exhale) and enhanced by drumming, rattling, singing or chanting to produce altered states of consciousness that allow for healing through the spirit world. Breath is viewed as a cherished tool to enter spirit realms where one embarks on an intense inner journey of transformation and returns to daily life profoundly changed.
A healing ritual that has intrigued me for years is the Navajo sand painting.
Essentially, the medicine man or woman, designs an intricate, symbolic painting on the ground by allowing colored sand, stones, minerals and charcoal to flow through the fingers. The patient then sits on the painting, and with spiritual assistance of the shaman, interacts with the represented spirits who absorb the illness into the sand. The painting is then destroyed and returned to the Earth, removing the illness and restoring balance, harmony and beauty to the person.
To view these beautiful works of a healing art, please visit the Old Jail Art Center website.
Mentorship is a key element of Shamanic practise. Indigenous healers (medicine men or women) are recognized by their community to have a spiritual calling and under the guidance of an Elder, enter years of diligent training regarding the knowledge and practices of healing specific to their tradition.
For a modern approach, I highly recommend learning of Shamanic practice through the journey of Langston Kahn, who studied a program called The Cycle of Transformation with Christine Pratt. The following resources are an excellent starting point.
Deep Liberation: Shamanic Tools for Reclaiming Wholeness in a Culture of Trauma
https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/deep-liberation-shamanic-tools-for-reclaiming-wholeness-in-a-culture-of-trauma/f7dd8ee8-0bac-31d5-b316-29d2ce9e3639.html
Last Mask Center
https://lastmaskcenter dot org/
In the ancient healing traditions of China and India, Breath is Sacred.
Qigong
The ancient Chinese practice of breathwork is Qigong, which seeks to connect the Universal Life Force, Chi or Qi, that bonds all living beings, with individual inner energy. In this way, breath becomes a sacred vessel and Qigong. a spiritual expression that links one to the present moment, while enhancing human longevity.
Practitioners of Qigong employ deep breathing, mindful meditation, and flowing movement to gather, cultivate, circulate, and harmonize their internal energy with the limitless energy of Nature and the Cosmos. This serves to promote balance and vitality of the whole individual.
Qigong promotes physical health and mental well-being. Stress is expelled as breath is exhaled and the slow inhalation of breath receives healing energy that is then moved through one’s energy or subtle body (envelope or sheath around the physical body).
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) finds its foundation in the book Huangdi Neijing or The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine written approximately 300 BC to 100 BC. It presents ideas on yin-yang, the five elements, herbal medicine, and holistic health principles and practices.
The TCM treatment of acupuncture relies on the breath to direct Life Force from the point where needles enter the physical body through the meridians of the subtle body. This exercise balances Chi or Qi and activates chemicals from the central nervous system to alleviate the chronic pain of headaches, arthritis, and nausea.
Qigong is an important part of contemporary healing medicine. To learn more please visit the Qigong Institute. https://www.qigonginstitute.org/
Pranayama
From the ancient wisdom of the Vedic texts of India, we come to understand Oneness, the Unity of One and All, Braham and Atman, Divine Love. On the path of enlightenment, our heightened awareness leads to profound personal transformation. The fundamental core of our sacred journey is breathwork.
Pranayama, derived from Sanskrit Prana (Life Force) and yama (gain control), comprises the Hindu form of breathwork and originates in the Vedas as well. Scholars and sages discovered that Prana is referenced in ritual as early as 3,500 BCE; further developed in the Rig Veda (10.136) and Atharva Veda (11.4) between 1500 BCE to 1000 BCE; and clearly detailed in the Upanishads, composed from 800 BCE to 300 BCE.
Pranayama serves to provide deep relaxation and heightened consciousness. Each practitioner feels union with the Divine and allows loving, healing energy to flourish within. Pranayama then purifies the energy or subtle body (envelope or sheath around the physical body) and moves Prana, Life Force through the nadis (energy channels) and chakras (energy centers) to clear blocks and promote energy flow.
There are many types of Pranayama including:
Bhramari (humming bee breath)
Ujjayi (victorious breath),
Bhastrika (bellows breath),
Kapalabhati (breath of fire),
Nadi Shodhana and Anulom Vilom, (alternate nostril breathing),
Simhasana (lion’s breath),
Sitali (cooling breath),
Sitkari (hissing breath),
Surya Bhedana (sun piercing breath), and
Chandra Bhedana (moon piercing breath) and Viloma.
To learn more about Pranayama, in this context about how to perform the breathing exercises and the benefits of each, please see an excellent resource:
Othership - https://www.othership.us/resources/pranayama
Overall, the practice of Pranayama results in increased vitality, clarity, balance, inner peace, and health for the whole person - body, mind, heart, spirit, and soul.
Pranayama informs the energy healing practices of meditation, yoga, and chakra balancing. We will explore these ancient Hindu healing traditions next issue.