The Breath: What Is Your Breath Telling You?
Yes, I'm Talking About the Breath Again — And Here's Why
If you've read any of my blogs, you may have noticed that references to the breath keep appearing.
It seems to have become something of my signature theme.
So, yes — I'm talking about the breath again.
And perhaps you're thinking, “What can anyone possibly teach me about my own breath? I've been breathing my whole life!”. That's exactly why I keep coming back to it.
The breath is something we all have, something we rarely think about, and yet it can influence how we experience ourselves and our nervous system.
We breathe automatically, thousands of times a day, without even having to think about it. But unlike many of our body's automatic functions, the breath is one of the only things we can consciously influence.
What if something so ordinary and readily available could also be one of the most powerful tools we have?
This blog isn't about re-learning how to breathe. It's a reminder about the remarkable breath you already have — and its potential that can sometimes remain untapped.
What Makes the Breath So Fascinating?
The breath is, quite literally, the breath of life. We need it to live.
We breathe in, we pause, we breathe out. All of this happens automatically. And yet we can also choose to become aware of our breathing and gently influence its rhythm and depth.
To me, this is part of what makes the breath so fascinating.
What I've noticed as I age is that my yoga has changed. My body has changed. What I teach has changed.
But the gift of my breath hasn't.
The Breath — A Constant Companion
Many years ago, I read that when we first consciously begin observing the breath, it can feel a little like a fish trying to breathe out of water.
I remember something of this confusion when I first started practising yoga. I was doing Cat Pose and questioning the way I was being asked to move my body in relation to the rhythm of the breath.
It felt strange - suddenly I was being asked to think about my breath and even to coordinate it with movement. Over time, that strangeness made sense and became awareness.
In yoga, the breath has always been much more than simply something that keeps us alive. Traditional yoga practices have explored the breath in many different ways, including the concept of prana — often described as life force or vital energy. One of the ways prana enters the body is through the breath.
There are many advanced breathing practices within yoga, developed and practised over centuries.
However, at an everyday level building awareness of the breath, rather than mastering it, becoming curious about, it rather than ignoring its signals, is the invitation.
What Might Your Breath Be Telling You?
Our breath can offer us clues about how we are experiencing any given moment.
Think about what happens when you're frightened, stressed or rushing. You may notice your breathing becomes quicker, shallower or more restricted.
Then think about a moment when you feel safe, relaxed or deeply at ease.
Your breathing may feel different again.
There is also something powerful about linking the breath with movement.
It can slow us down, bring us into the present moment and reconnect us with our breath’s natural rhythm.
And sometimes, simply noticing the breath allows us to notice something else.
Perhaps we've been holding our breath when you bend down to pick something up.
Perhaps our shoulders are tense from unconsciously holding them up around our ears.
Perhaps we're rushing and we need to slow down or pause.
The breath doesn't necessarily tell us exactly why we feel a certain way, but it can become a way into noticing what is happening within us.
Become Curious About Your Breath
Have you ever really noticed the different qualities of your breath? There is no need to do anything with it, or make a judgement about it. Simply notice it.
You might begin by noticing:
The overall physical movement of your torso.
The movement of your ribs.
The rise and fall of your belly.
The sensation of air moving through your nostrils and down into your throat.
The temperature of the breath as it enters and leaves the body.
The sensation of the diaphragm muscle moving up and down like a jellyfish below your ribs.
Whether one nostril seems to be flowing more freely than the other. (Its actually quite normal)
The sound of your breathing. Perhaps your breath reminds you of gentle waves on a beach, or maybe it is barely audible.
There are pauses between breaths. Its rhythm can change from moment to moment. There is no right or wrong. Simply become curious about it.
Do We Really Need to influence Our Breath?
There are many breathing techniques, and they can be valuable when appropriately taught and practised.
But sometimes the most useful thing we can do is to become aware of what our breath is already doing.
Notice when you unconsciously hold your breath.
Notice when you're forcing or controlling it.
Notice when you can allow the breath to soften, maybe when you relax.
You might explore what happens when the exhale is a little longer than the inhale.
Or you might notice what happens when the breath becomes more active with movement.
There is no need to push, strain or force the breath. Let it happen in its own way and in its own time.
Our breath can be an indicator of our state of being — and becoming aware of it may give us an opportunity to pause, reconnect and respond rather than continue on autopilot.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you have a respiratory condition or experience breathlessness or other breathing difficulties, it's important to speak with your doctor or appropriate health professional before undertaking breathingexercises.
A Simple Breath Experiment
Right now, pause and witness your breath.
There is nothing to fix or change. Simply notice it.
Notice the movement in your body.
Notice the air moving through your nostrils.
Notice the temperature of the breath.
Notice its rhythm.
Notice the pauses.
And then simply let your breath be. There is no need to make it complicated.
The Practice Is to Notice
The heart of this reminder is that it isn't necessary to “master” the breath, but learning how to listen to it. Our breath has changed with us as we've grown, moved, rested, exercised, laughed, cried, worried and relaxed.
Learning to recognise when we are holding, forcing or rushing — and giving ourselves permission to deepen and lengthen the breath.
The breath is an extraordinary thing.
Something so simple.
Something so ordinary.
And yet something we do every single day, 24/7.
So, what might your breath be telling you today?
A Space to Breathe
Perhaps the next time you pause, you’ll notice your breath a little differently — not simply as something your body does, but as a quiet pathway back to yourself.
If you feel drawn to explore this more deeply, I invite you to discover the practices offered here at Tranquillity for Wellness. Through breath, movement and awareness, there is an opportunity to slow down, reconnect and create a greater sense of ease and presence in everyday life.
Sometimes, wellbeing begins with something as simple as taking a breath. There is nothing to change before you begin. Simply arrive, take a breath, and see what you notice.
