A Dangerous Bend in the Road

The good news is: there is a sharp downward bend at the back of your throat. The bad news is: there is a sharp downward bend in the back of your throat.

Incoming air travels horizontally through the nose-maze and suddenly turns downward toward your lungs. Food and saliva travel horizontally through your mouth and suddenly turn downward toward your stomach.

There are a couple of really scary inches in there that resemble a major intersection in downtown Beijing at rush hour. Actually it is always rush hour in downtown Beijing.

Mother Nature wasn’t having a Stupid Day when she put this design together. The 90-degree bend causes the incoming air to drop some of its pollution-load so the mucus can grab and dump irritants before they sneak into your fragile lungs. The bend is like a sharp turn in a stream that causes the dropping of silt.

There is, however, a tricky crossover at that point. The food must be kept separate from the air or your liverwurst could end up in your lungs. There is even a tiny trap door that slams shut when you swallow to guard your airways.

Countless wonderful human beings die each year because they simultaneously eat and laugh, eat and talk, eat and lounge, drink and smoke. That little right angle bend is a tricky piece of road. It is a dangerous place to multitask.

Quick Response

Practice this exercise until you can react without thinking, without hesitation, as if you were handling your car in a skid. Reading about a skidding car will not keep you out of the ditch. In an emergency your body may not have time to phone your brain for instructions and this is a first-response exercise. It therefore requires more practice than most.

1. In the very FIRST split-second of a real or perceived crisis (physical, emotional or intellectual) BREATHE OUT IMMEDIATELY. Release as much air as is comfortable. Relax all surface tension as you exhale. Think of suddenly releasing all air and tension from a balloon.
2. After that important first exhalation, assume deep and steady breathing. Now you are focused. You are clear. You are ready. You have some oxygen in your tank.

The tendency when things get dicey is to hold your breath or take in a big gulp of air without exhaling first. This forces the incoming air down on top of stale air, air that was used up and waiting to be exhaled. You are left with a small voice, tense muscles, and an expanded chest full of useless air. This is not what you need in crisis mode.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Point of Stillness

The pause at the end of each exhalation is a powerful, magical, valuable moment. Although the pause may last only a second or two, it provides a moment of beautiful quiet for your mind, your body and your spirit. You can take advantage of this special pause but resist any temptation to extend any pause beyond its natural length. To override this timing is like grabbing a soap bubble so it can’t float away.

Experiment by selecting in advance a positive word that you repeat silently to yourself during the pause. Or focus on a healing image. This is also an amazing time to simply listen and be open.

This brief moment brings you to your deepest self. That is why the temptation is so great to extend it. Although Point of Stillness is a delicate and simple exercise it is surprisingly effective.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Not Born To Formaldehyde

The design of the human body is a work in progress. The species adapts and changes very slowly, taking thousands of years to show measurable change. Perhaps in 75,000 years man will have very thin fingers to meet the demands of tiny keyboards. He may have huge flat feet that double as flippers when all the icebergs have melted. His larger nose will help to filter out the increasing air pollution that he will surely face. But for now . . . .

We cannot begin to accommodate all of the indoor chemicals to which we are exposed (even though our respiratory systems have some extraordinary built-in protection). Until recently humans lived with all natural materials. They traveled only as far as the horse could carry them so they rarely had the respiratory shock of exotic materials. They spent long hours outside hunting, gathering, planting, ploughing.

Eventually, costly global health disasters will force governments, builders and manufacturers to select non-toxic and sustainable materials. The improvement probably won’t be complete in our lifetime. Even then, older homes and older office buildings will continue to put out toxic gases. In the meantime, be a force for change in the marketplace and get outside whenever possible to break your chronic exposure.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Flushing

I sometimes wish I had picked a more delicate subject to blog about – arranging flowers, or folding napkins or decorating cupcakes. While these are all worthwhile pursuits, I know absolutely nothing about any of them so I plan to stick with “mindful breathing” even when that means dealing with a relatively gross subject like toilet flushing.

If we could make each cold and virus bug visible to the human eye, you would faint the next time you walked into your john.

1. At least once a week, make a quick swipe of all knobs and handles with a disinfectant wipe.
2. We’ve already brought the subject of hand washing to a high art.
3. Know that when you flush the toilet you set loose a momentary mist that you want no part of. See? Aren’t you already longing for a napkin to fold? Just don’t lean directly over the toilet bowl when you flush! Turn your face away and stretch out your arm as long as possible.

Gentlemen, you move the seat up and down more than we do so please take extra care with the hand washing. I’m going away now to decorate a cupcake (after washing my hands).

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Old? Not Yet.

Mother Nature seems to give the human body a get-out-of-jail-free pass during the baby-making years. Almost immediately thereafter, everything shifts into High-Maintenance Mode. Can you imagine eating, drinking and dancing the night away like you did at 18?! After age 35 we have passed through the grace period when almost everything is forgiven and we must begin to earn the body we want and need.

Increasing signs of aging can be disheartening especially for those of us who survived the 50s where physical appearance was everything. Absolutely everything. Health, comfort and common sense all took a back seat in those days.

1. You have the power to slow the physical aging process so you are less likely to run out of tread before you run out of road. Improving your quality of life takes research and discipline. We are incredibly fortunate to be born in the era of Internet access and impressive medical studies.
2. Although the body begins to break down too soon after birth, both the mind and the spirit are designed to evolve and thrive regardless of age. There is an exquisite beauty and power that can bloom even in a frail body but we can’t simply hope for the best.

Your breathing is unique because it provides relatively easy access to your mind, to your body and to your spirit. Breathing awareness brings body awareness. Breathing awareness brings mental clarity. Breathing awareness brings joy to the spirit.

Be as well as possible. Breathe beautifully.

Review #3

How long must I practice?

You are in charge of your own evolution. Mindful breathing practice moves your mind, body and spirit in an exciting direction so I would hope you would practice regularly the rest of your life. Without regular practice students often forget their breathing until they are neck deep in a personal or professional crisis. Only then, in desperation, do they try to summon a breathing exercise that they remember reading about, but never truly made their own. Learn to swim before you fall (or are pushed) into deep water.

How do I know if I’m advancing?

Don’t think about it. You aren’t being graded here. Tiger cubs, practicing their survival skills through play focus on what they are doing. Most of our greatest accomplishments have come through a sense of wonder and playfulness. So long as you are focused and are not in any way uncomfortable, then you are advancing.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.