The Magic Bone Suit

The zillions of microscopic air sacs that comprise your lungs are as delicate as soap bubbles. Your heart is an extraordinary pump that must continue to drum away with no outside interference or disruption. Heart and lungs would be mush if they weren’t protected from daily assaults.

Because Mother Nature, in her usual infinite wisdom, wrapped you in a magic bone suit, you can almost always survive being tackled in the end-zone or rear-ended by an SUV or sent flying by the proverbial banana peel.

Your skull is the armored cage that protects soft brain tissue. Your pelvic cage is, among other things, a bumper car for your kidneys, pancreas, liver and many yards of guts (and sometimes a fetus). But most important, the ribcage protects the acquisition and delivery of oxygen. Without that, all else is lost.

The ribcage must be rigid enough to shield you, yet flexible enough for reasonable “give” when you take a deep breath. It must be self-healing, preferably stronger than it was before a bone break. It must be extraordinarily tough, yet lightweight. It must accommodate the arm and shoulder attachments. It has to last at least four score and seven.

In return, all that is expected of you is to keep the cage properly aligned for efficient breathing and to keep the related muscles in and around the ribs strong and flexible and to maintain bone health.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Expelling Bacteria, Viruses and Other Nasty Stuff

Mother Nature built extra protection into your body to defend you from assaults too dramatic for your basic daily respiration to handle. Nature, in effect, sends in the cavalry to be your back-up when you are about to be overrun.

Your GAG REFLEX makes a mighty grab-and-shove at anything your throat finds threatening and at anything that begins to slide down the wrong chute toward your delicate lungs.

Your SNEEZE explodes irritants, germs and viruses out of your nasal passages with extraordinary force and speed.

Your COUGH forces your breath out at several hundred miles per hour in a valiant effort to evict irritants from your throat, bronchial tubes and lungs.

Your YAWN (while not quite so dramatic but helpful none the less) is your body’s effort to break a shallow breathing pattern and to quickly beef up your oxygen supply.

Your SNIFF has probably lost much of its sensitivity over the centuries but remains a valuable system that can still save your life. A sniff (located close to the entrance to your respiration) allows you to test your environment just a little without taking a deep, full breath that could, under certain conditions, be deadly.

These protective systems are designed for occasional use only. If any one of them becomes chronic, it is time to re-examine your environment and to seek expert advice.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

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Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Practice Yawn

A yawn is Nature’s way of correcting your shallow breathing and giving you a quick boost of energy. Remember that breathing is both voluntary and involuntary. If we depended on having to think about each and every breath, we never would have made it to kindergarten.

You have the power to shift into “manual” mode when it’s suitable (as with breathing exercises) but you remain in “automatic” most of the time. Sometimes because you are bored or tired, your meter drops into a “low fuel” range and you yawn to establish a more suitable oxygen/carbon dioxide level.

A yawn also invigorates face and speech muscles. Thinking about a yawn (or trying not to) is usually enough to trigger the process.

A typical yawn shapes your mouth into a vertical oval. Once you have an oval in place, expand on this by stretching that oval outward into a circle. Use a mirror at first if you need visual feedback. This practice yawn may trigger an authentic deep yawn and watering eyes. If so, well done.

One great big yawn is probably more useful than a lot of little stifled ones.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Toss the Toy Soldier

Apologies to drill sergeants everywhere but “Stomach in! Chest out! Shoulders back” sucks. While this particular posture makes a soldier appear leaner and meaner on the parade ground, it reduces his ability to function efficiently. Unfortunately, this concept has seeped into general society and has long been accepted as a guide for good posture.

“Stomach in” pushes the abdomen in and up and restricts the movement of your diaphragm (your most valuable breathing muscle). “Chest out” pushes your breathing up from the wide elastic lower lungs into the narrow restricted upper rib cage. “Shoulders back” pressures your throat, vocal chords and neck arteries. Also a rigid ribcage locks down the intercostal muscles between your ribs.

Good posture results in spending the MINIMUM energy to produce MAXIMUM fuel with less overall wear and tear. It appears that a Masai warrior can walk forever and spring into action at an instant’s notice. No military-style posture there. The same could be said for martial arts masters.

Stand and move while gently reaching upward with the center top of your head as if your head could float above your spine. Relax your jaws and shoulders. Keep your elbows in line with your side seams and unlock your knees. Relax your tummy and breathe deep, low, and slow. Now you are ready.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Accessing Emotions

Because your breathing is an essential part of your mind, your body and your spirit, it is no surprise that your emotions are mirrored in your breathing. A sad breath is different from an angry breath is different from a frightened breath is different from a weary breath. Very different.

Since your breathing threads through all aspects of your being, it is therefore possible to shape the way you are feeling by adjusting the way you are breathing.

If you need to dissipate your anger quickly or at least hide it, then stop breathing like an angry person. Notice that when you are depressed or tired or sad you may take small infrequent breaths in the center of the chest. Sometimes you will sigh because you are getting low on oxygen. You may hold your breath when you are frightened and breathe quickly and erratically when you are angry.

Good basic breathing that is low, slow, steady and wide will serve you well regardless of your emotional temperature at the moment. Breathing deeply and slowly will help center you in just a few breaths.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

The First Commandment

I promise I will avoid repeat postings whenever possible. However, there are a couple points that are so important that I will repeat them often.

Never permit even the slightest physical or psychological discomfort or distress during any breathing exercise. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Pain, discomfort and apprehension are all messages from your body and mind, alerting you that something is not going as well as it should. STOP!

At that moment verify your technique, your rhythm and your concentration. Only when you feel completely at ease, begin again.

Never practice mindlessly. It is a waste of time. Know that the more you practice, the easier and the more rewarding your practice will become. Your breathing awareness will unfold quite naturally as does the flower.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.