Thoughts on Breath and the Mind

Dear David,

I took your teacher training and have a question that I can't seem to find the answer to and am hoping that you can help me. In addition to teaching yoga I also train people with weights. During one session my client chose to use ujjayi breathing while lifting weights. She found this to be helpful in having more energy to continue. She wondered why and what the physiological reason for this was.

Can you explain to me the physiological reason and effects of this process?

Thank you so much...

B

Dear B,

Thank you for the message. I am not truly schooled in physiology but will attempt to answer your question from a yogic understanding:

On a physical level our bodies and minds function at a higher level when our blood is full with oxygen. This is achieved through deep controlled breathing. Erratic breath is less productive than rhythmic regulated breath. This can be applied even while one is expending a lot of energy in an aerobic type exercise or even while lifting weights. If you look at how breath effects our everyday lives it may also provide some more insight into this concept.

If you have ever seen someone in a very agitated state such as someone wanting to fight or argue you may note that his or her breath is rapid and irregular. If one is nervous before an event such as a performer or athlete waiting for their moment you might find their breath to be rapid and short. If you observe someone that is depressed or deeply sad his or her breath will generally be shallow and barely audible. When frightened we tend to hold our breath. If we come across a person in one of these emotional states our advice to the person is most often: "Take a few deep breaths. Calm down." Without knowing anything about yoga this advice is provided freely. Somehow we each have a deep inherent knowledge that if we control our breath we may control our mind. There is a yogic saying that states: "The mind is more difficult to control than the wind but if we are able to control our breath we may control our mind." Yoga is built upon this simple concept. When controlling the breath the yoga practitioner feels a deep state of calm and an evenness of the mind. This is due to the regulated focus upon the breath during practice. This information that I have provided may not be scientific but I believe it to be true and I also believe that if you were to approach other practitioners of yoga they would also agree.

I hope that this helps. There are of course many more details that could be provided but this is the essence of how controlling the breath may have a soothing effect upon our mind and psyche.

Thank you again!

Sincerely,

David Swenson