Life's Breath

The air we take in as breath is the most fundamental form of nourishment, or prana as it is designated by the Hindoos. Then, in order of importance, comes water, then food.

Reflect for a moment on how important breathing is to each of us in terms of our total nourishment, and the true extent of the damage done by habitual, long-term smoking comes into true perspective. Crippling the organ that gathers and processes the prana, one of the great gifts of the universe, seems insane, but people nowadays do it all the time, driven to self-destruction by a merciless drug addiction.

When I attend to my breathing, I do so with an awareness of my limitations. A 50-year history of cigarette smoking is common enough among people my age, and those of us whose bodies are compromised by such a history need to approach the practices of yoga -- asana (movement) and pranayama (attention to the breath) -- differently than those who enjoy whole respiratory systems and normal fluctuations of the breath.

For those with COPD, the ability of the damaged lungs to exhale completely is compromised. This means in turn that inhalation is by necessity somewhat short. However, regular breathing practice in which one remains still and relaxed and attending to nothing else does calm both the nerves and the breath. Even people with emphysema will notice a gradual increase in the ability to comfortably slow and lengthen the inhale over time. However, a "normal" regulation of breath will never be possible for such a person.

I now practice breathing to a count of 14; three beats on the inhale, hold (retain) for three, and eight counts for exhaling while pressing the belly to the spine. This is certainly not a breath of classic proportions, but it's an adaptation that might help provide optimal results for those who have smoked habitually over a long period of time, or lived in Bakersfield, or both.