A Deep Breath

The moment someone says, ‘take a deep breath’ things usually, body reacts and stiffens in such a way that the person asked to take a ‘deep breath’ ends up taking a very short breath even as he believes he’s taken a deep breath. This might sound strange and counterintuitive but I’ve seen it happen so many times, I feel compelled to talk about this. When the body stiffens, a deep breath becomes impossible. So, please remember, the first thing while taking a deep breath, one needs to relax the body...the more relaxed one is in body and mind, the deeper he can breathe. So, what is a deep breath? A deep breath is a breath that goes deep...down to the bottom of the lungs. A deep breath needs to be a slow, relaxed breath that fills the lungs with fresh air. Next time someone asks you to take a deep breath, please relax the body, loosen the stomach/belly by easing all tension in the diaphragm, the muscle that makes breathing possible which lies at the base of the lungs. And, relax the mind, too....as much as possible. A deep breath comes with a big parcel of gifts for the organs, the brain, heart, liver, kidneys and all those trillions of cells that make your body and need a regular, rhythmic supply of fresh oxygen to function in a way that can make your journey through life much more rewarding and fulfilling. Remember to relax, smile inwardly and take a nice slow, easy, gentle breath all the way down, filling your lungs with the goodness of all those things the breath brings the next time you take a deep breath...like now! Take a deep breath and smile! - rajyogi (Rajesh Kanoi)