The Beauty of Breath

Our breath is one of those things many of us don’t give much thought to in a day, which is kind of nice. Despite the fact it’s our literal lifeline, it’s an involuntary response we all have the benefit of experiencing in these bodies, freely, while we’re alive. Dependable and always available whether awake or asleep.

We really only THINK about it or tap into it more consciously when we’re exercising or trying to stay calm, using this incredible gift of breath to slow down our nervous system naturally. And in Yoga, it’s one of your most important and necessary tools.

The beauty of practicing breathwork in YOGA, at the very least, learning to CENTER our movements and awareness AROUND our breath, gives us an opportunity to get into it more deeply. We can use it to ground down into our bodies more fully while we move, which in turn helps to highlight all the areas that might need a little TLC, both physically and emotionally. When we are really focused on our breath, taking long, slow inhales, equally long slow exhales, there’s not much room in our brains to think about anything else (which is the theory behind meditation, and essentially, the most simple way to become more PRESENT.

A daily or weekly Yoga practice, no matter what level of intensity or style, invites you to learn how to use that incredible breath more CONSCIOUSLY, leaving you in a more peace-filled, calm, even “blissed out” state (some would say,) when you’re done. AND able to access that place more readily when you need it most. Learning to be more observant of our breath helps us to be more fully present, better able to disconnect from the constant (often unnecessary) chatter of our minds, WHILE sending more oxygen to muscles, and gently relieving tension.

In all my years teaching, I’ve never heard someone say they felt worse after leaving Yoga. If you’ve spent that hour doing your best to be aware of and really USE that breath to your advantage, you will almost always leave feeling lighter, more open, more calm, and yearning to keep that feeling going. If anything, much more motivated to experience the natural high from breathing in full breaths of air, that not only improves your daily quality of life but supports your movements through this world with less physical stress and tension. With that kind of mental and physical clarity comes freedom for you to be able to better focus most on what truly matters.

With the right guide and anywhere from 15-60 minutes of your day, learning to BREATHE better can be life changing. Not just to your physical body but to your emotional state on a day-to-day basis as well. Sign up for a Yoga class today and see what focused, intentional breathing is all about and experience the benefits for yourself.

Click here to sign-up for one of our class options in our beautiful studio and see how they can help you thrive!

Keep Thriving,

Liz