Intrinsic Yoga with Anita Hartman

With the lengthening and warming of our days there is a new vitality in the air. Birds that have migrated return and buds are beginning to blossom. Life in its abundance surrounds us. Nature provides us with many simple joys. All we need to do to reap life’s little pleasures is to slow down, breath deeply and be mindful of our surroundings.

So often we hurry from place to place, person to person, experience to experience, with little attention to anything other than our directed focus. All that matters passes before us now at this moment and, assuredly, we will not pass this way again. Life’s force surrounds us; slowing down, breathing deeply living life fully attentive of breezes, smells, colors and our emotions is a spiritual response we can make in this life.

Each day is a blessing. Being mindful and intent on the moment’s fullness will help us capture life’s gifts and riches.

“It is not the things we accomplish that are important; it’s the very act of living that is truly important.” – Dr. Bill Jackson

Prana “Life Force or Absolute Energy” and Pranayama “Breath Control”

One of the main objectives of Hatha Yoga is the achievement of breath control. This is done through controlling the prana or life force, which Yoga teaches, is in the air we breathe.

Pranic theory is a fundamental part of Yoga philosophy. It is the universal principle which is the essence of all motion, force or energy. In the ancient Sanskrit language, the word for breath is the same as the word for life, prana. According to Yoga teaching, prana can be stored in the body and then directed by the mind to different parts of the body. Revitalizing and restorative effects provide a heightened feeling of well-being and improvement in health and vitality.

The seat of vital energy in the body is the solar plexus located in the Epigastric region, just to the back of the pit of the stomach. This is the storage place of prana. Proper yogic breathing techniques direct prana to this center and then send it to different parts of the body…the glands, vital organs and muscles with re-charging and revitalizing effects.

Our breath is our most intimate friend. Without it we could only live for about 6 to 8 minutes. We breathe about 12 to 16 breaths per minute taking between 17,000 and 23,000 breaths a day, which is roughly 600 million breathes in a lifetime. However, since breathing is an automatic process, most people are probably barely aware of it.
Automatic breathing doesn’t always mean optimal breathing and most people would be considered shallow breathers.
Shallow breathing doesn’t reoxygenate the blood well and will cause toxins to build up in the cells. By practicing yogic breathing we can help to rid ourselves of toxins and alleviate stress by loading our bodies with oxygen. An increase in oxygen is nourishing and helps to repair our body’s cells.

Yogic breathing is typically done through the nose, both during inhalation and exhalation. Breathing through the nose slows down the breath because you are breathing through two small openings. An added benefit is the air is filtered and warmed by the nasal passages.

The yogic breath is a complete breath in which every part of the lungs is filled with air, increasing the intake of oxygen and, at the same time, prana. As you inhale you push out the stomach; this movement causes the diaphragm to contract and descend allowing the lower part of the lungs to be filled. The middle part of the lungs is filled by expanding the chest and finally the top of the lungs will fill by lifting and expanding the upper ribs. When the diaphragm relaxes, it moves back into its upward curve, forcing air out of the lungs. This is all done in one smooth, continuous flowing movement, without any jerking.

As you exhale the stomach is drawn in which lifts the diaphragm, the ribs return to normal position and the air is expelled from the lungs. With the picture of this procedure in the mind’s eye it is easy to understand why the use of the abdomen is so important in yoga breathing.

Try this simple technique: Put your hands on the abdomen, with fingertips touching, and practice breathing rhythmically. Inhale through the nose, counting six, and then exhale for the count of six. A cycle of about five to six breaths to the minute instead of the usual twelve to sixteen is the yoga tempo of deep breathing. As you inhale and exhale you will notice how your fingertips move apart and come together again, demonstrating the expansion and contraction of the stomach.

Normally, when people move they tend to hold their breath. In yoga you simply follow the natural flow of the breath. Inhale during backbend postures and exhale when moving into twists, forward and side bends. A general rule of thumb when you are practicing your yoga postures is to inhale as you open into a posture and exhale as you twist or close the posture.

Remember nothing can be done without the cooperation of the mind and will-power. In most cases breath control is very easy to perform. The difficult part is to control the mind and train it to work with and for you.

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that is was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?” The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.” “I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?” “The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.” “But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!” The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”

There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference, and if we can become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future. We must each fine our starfish. And if we throw our stars wisely and well, the world will be blessed.