Happiness & Breath

17 May, Kathmandu : Have you ever wondered why we have two nostrils instead of one big hole? There is a reason! When you breathe through your right nostril, it affects the left side of your brain and when you breathe through your left nostril, it affects the right side of the brain.

There’s a lot to learn if you watch your breath and see what is happening. I would like to share about how emotions influence our breathing. When angry we’re breathing faster shorter & hotter. When sad or ill we are breathing out heavy and long. In contrast, we breathe light and deep in a sound peaceful sleep. So, there is a deep connection between Mind and Breath.

Likewise, when we are happy or inhaling the fragrance of a flower, our inhalation is slow, steady and strong, and the exhalation dissolves. But in frustration our exhalation is stronger. Also, the rhythm of the breath is different in the morning and evening.

We can survive without food or water for a few days but without breath there’s no possibility of life even for few minutes. So, breath, in this sense, is the biggest source of energy.

A few minutes of mediation energizes our system because it changes the course of our breath entirely. Breath is one of the biggest sources of energy. However, all our life we pay little or no attention at all to our breath till we die.

Sudarshan Kriya is one such time-tested and evidence-backed scientific breathing technique taught by The Art of Living all over the world. It is a rhythmic breathing technique which brings harmony in our breath, thoughts, emotions and body, and then life becomes a music. It takes just three days, and three to four hours to lean; afterwards, it is only a ten minutes practice on a daily basis. For students, especially around exam time, it is a big boon; it also enhances your intuitive ability.

At last, I would say breath was the first act of our life and very interestingly it is the last act too. In birth you cried and made others laugh and in death, you take the last breath out and make others cry. If you don’t do that you haven’t lived a good life!

Note: You can learn Sudarshan Kriya digitally in any Online Happiness Workshop from a trained instructor.
Link for next Online Happiness Program tinyurl.com/kickkstress
Kindly visit www.artofliving.org
Apeckshya Parajulee, Faculty, The Art of Living