i like the way copper likes to lay on things when she doesn't want her basket and she's to tired to go to a bed

i like how my two cats spend time playing together

i took this picture when i felt like i wanted to explore nature

The Core of the Matter, Part 1

I get many snickers in class when I talk about efficient breathing being a wonderful abdominal exercise. People hope that this is true, but in general seem to not quite believe it.

Right now, take a deep inhalation.

What did you do? Take a moment and reflect, or perhaps try again.

Most people will start right where they are and inhale. I suggest that the most efficient way to take a deep inhale, is to first exhale. You must first empty the lungs, making room for them to be refilled.

Try it again, exhaling first.

What did you notice?

The inhale always begins with the diaphragm dropping down. This action happens on its own, and is directed by the nervous system. The dropping of the diaphragm creates a larger cavity in the lungs, and this larger cavity has a lower pressure. Air naturally and always flows from high to low pressure, and so the air quite easily and effortlessly flows in. Upon close examination you will find that inhaling involves relaxing, and allowing. The emptier the lungs are in the beginning of the inhale, the more room there is for the air to flow into.

Strengthening the exhale:

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet about hip width apart and a comfortable distance from the buttocks. Place hands on belly. Take a few moments to simply feel the breath moving through the belly, noticing how it lifts and lowers the hands. It may help to visualize the hands “riding” the breath, much like a raft floats in waves. Try your best to not change anything. This is a profoundly difficulty task, as the observer necessarily effects the observed.

The next step is to begin to slowly and gently deepen the exhale. Work carefully and mindfully: listen to the body, watch the natural movement, and then let how it is – and not your idea of how it should be – guide how it becomes. Let the movement emerge from within. It may help to visualize the belly button moving in towards the spine, and you will eventually feel the low back moving into the floor.

After several rounds like this, return for a few moments to observing without acting.

Then begin again to work with the exhale. This time bring attention to the floor of the pelvis, noticing that these muscles initiate the exhale, and are the roots of the abdominal muscles. Continue slowly turning up the effort on the exhale, until you find the pelvis begin to lift up two inches, as the feet press into the floor. Let the inhale be exactly as it is, with no effort to change it.

Return to lying flat and letting the hands be moved by the breath. Notice what has changed.

Have fun with this, and next month I’ll write about how to bring this into the standing agni sara that you may have done in the restorative breathwork class.