Breathing Exercise

We know that breathing is very important. Still we often don't have well in mind what one old aunt of mine often repeated. "It aint what you do, but the way how ya do it." She didn't usually talk that way. She may have been quoting some old song. The idea is that the way we breathe counts.

Just remembering to take a few deep breaths several times a day may do one a great deal of good.

There are a large number of more formal breathing exxerecises available to us. I think that it is as good idea to find and use a number of them and then to choose two or three of them to practice with some regularity.

Here's one I have called "Crane" for no very good reason that I can remember. If you are in cold country you might start this exercise by rubbing your hands together to warm them. Then continue by placing warmed palms on either side of the naval. Sounds like something I picked up east of Suez, doesn't it?

Exhale slowly and press hands lightly on the abdomen aiming to form a slight hollow. Gently force air out of lower lungs and bring abdomen in.

After exhaling 'completely,' begin to inhale, slowly extending the abdomen outward so that it extends like a balloon. Take two or three seconds to balloon the abdomen outward with downward pressure of the diaphragm.

Repeat 4 or 5 times,

Avoid chest breathing.

We know that the important parts of breathing are inhaling and exhaling. Attending consciously to our inhaling and our exhaling a few times a day may do us a world of good; perhaps as much good as more formal exercises. Still I do believe that formal breathing exercises may add greatly to our well-being.

A Canary

Neither seen nor touched. Generally colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Neither solid nor liquid. Difficult to detect. We believe it exists.

It has a very low density and viscosity. As the ratio of its components change we sicken. Most changes in it are detrimental to our health.

It makes our biosphere possible. Its name is a word for breath.

We know that we can do better than to judge it by our sickness and death. We have used the sickening and death of animals to judge it, but know that we can do better.

We know that changes in its temperature causes great changes in its density, diffusion, and distribution, but are often careless of this knowledge.

We know elements of it are very reactive and are constantly interacting with everything in our biosphere.

It carries matter and material, bacteria and virus. It carries vapor, water, and ice. You are putting stuff into it now.

It changes form moment to moment and eon to eon.

Within a narrow range it supports human life and nearly all life here.

We have describe its pure nature and now a bit about its optimum nature.