Breathe

When I worked as an Ombudsman for the workers' union in Sweden, I used to joke that I would inhale when I started working after the summer holiday and not exhale until Christmas. Nowadays I don't see it as a joke, but a symptom of a real issue. 

Breathing is, of course, something we take for granted since it happens day in and day out. It continues automatically till the day we die, but how we breathe is a matter of life and death since our health depends on it.

There are many different techniques you can try, but first and foremost it's a good idea to acknowledge your breathing pattern. Are you breathing mostly trough your mouth? Are you snoring? Are your breaths shallow and panting?

Yesterday I walked up the mountain, on a serpentine road, to the Jamchen Vijaya stupa. I breathed through the nose the whole walk. When it felt too much, that I wanted to open my mouth and breathe, I just slowed down to get the controlled breathing back.

Click here for more info about the stupa.

James Nestor is a breathing expert. Click here to watch an interview that will give you a good understanding of the importance of breathing.

If you'd like a breathing challenge I can recommend checking out Wim Hof, the Iceman. Click here for a guided breathing session.