Inspire.. Aspire.. Expire...

How many of you know how to breathe?

O.K., folks... I'm not talking about autonomic system functionality here. That's a given, else we'd all be dead. I mean CONSCIOUSLY draw a breath in and expel it.

Take a deep breath as you read this.

Now exhale.

Then think: "when I breathed in, where did the air go?"

Good answer, smart@$s-- your lungs.

Which part?

Now take another breath, and this time, on the inhale, pay conscious attention to how your abdominal cavity moves.

Chances are it "expanded" with your oxygen intake. And exhale... the gut retracts. oui?

Do that with conscious focus for three, or four, breaths.

Then change it up, 180 degrees: as you inhale (you ARE inhaling solely through the nasal cavity, yes?), make your stomach move in the opposite direction of the first method. Still breathing in solely through your nose, draw your solar plexus IN. [You may note a 'shorter' breath. That's ok.]

Now on the breath release (through your mouth; right!) "split" the air so that half is expelled and half sinks to your abdominal cavity, thereby causing it to expand.

I challenge each of you to CONSCIOUSLY practice both of these methods for a duration of only a five-count each. Once a day. Ten breaths.

You can do this while you are sitting in rush hour traffic. Or sitting on your porch with your morning (or evening) cuppa. The point is to do it with full conscious control of your breath; where the distribution, both inhale and exhale, are 'going'.
And to mix it up.

Try it for three days and give me some feedback.

[A heartfelt Thanks to Livia; the late-nite banter cured lack of earlier-mentioned INSPIRATION. True to the Goddess Within...]

Breath easy, folks!

Cygnus