Just Breathe!

Aug 11, 2007 | August 2007, Yoga

Yoga/Meditation 101

By Laura Brookover

Yoga breath work or meditation is centuries old, and perhaps the simplest form of meditation is Anapana meditation, or “simple breath awareness,” which allows one to focus on something that is indeed, the most portable, ready-made meditation tool in existence – the breath!

Anapana meditation (“simple breath awareness”)
Sit in any comfortable seated position. Lengthen the spine and sit tall and strong. Bring the awareness to the breath with a focus on the area between the nose and the upper lip. It may be useful to place just a drop of essential oil of this point. This point will serve as your “dristi” (pronounced “dree-shtee”) or focal point. Close your eyes. Now just begin to breathe as you normally would. Do not attempt to manipulate the breath. If you need to breathe more deeply, do. If your breaths are shallow – so be it. You job is to focus your awareness on the sensation of the breath as it passes over the area between the nose and the upper lip. Begin by counting 10 exhales. Focus your mind, like a laser pinpoint, upon theses exhales in the exact location described. As you notice thoughts, feelings, noises invading your process, don’t worry. That is exactly the point. These are not distractions but very useful tools to help you to learn to re-focus. These outside stimuli are to be viewed as passing clouds. As you notice your attention drawn to the clouds, find a special word that works for you. “breath,” “focus,” or “dristi” may work, or you may find your own special way of resettling your mind on the sensation of the breath passing over the area, on each exhale, between the nose and the upper lip.

Begin with just 10 breaths. Work up to 5 minutes or more.
See how you feel. The key to meditation is consistency. If you can carve out a few minutes each day, perhaps in the morning, in the same chair, at the same exact time, you will begin to set the foundations for a valuable, life-giving, lifelong practice!

If this technique is too boring for you, venture out! The Internet is rich with numerous tips and techniques – and all of them – as long as their orientation is positive – will have the same healing effects! So have fun. Be adventurous. Live, learn and play! You have just begun a wonderful, fulfilling journey.

Some of the benefits of meditation include:

• decreases respiratory rate, increases blood flow, slows the heart rate

• increases exercise tolerance in heart patients

• helps alleviate allergy symptoms

• can reduce arthritis pain

• increases serotonin (low serotonin is associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches)

• stabilizes blood pressure

• reduces anxiety attacks

• decreases muscle tension (and any pain due to tension: ie. can help alleviate migraines)

• reduces Pre-Menstrual Syndrome

• helps in post-operative healing

• enhances the immune system

• increases activity of ‘natural-killer cells,’ which kill bacteria and cancer cells

Laura Brookover, a personal trainer and yoga instructor, was first introduced to meditation when she was a member of the U.S.A. Gymnastics Team as a child. The U.S. Olympic Training Centers required meditation exercises for optimal performance training. At age 11, Brookover began studies under a guru, the Maharish Mahesh Yogi.

South Texas Fitness & Health