YEM: YOGA AS ENERGY MEDICINE
THE BREATHING WAVE
D
eepening your awareness of your breath is a vital key to unlock the alchemical power
of Hatha Yoga. The breath is like a bridge to your inner and outer worlds. When you
focus on its flow, your breath will gently, yet powerfully, dissolve any notions
of being separate. Awareness of the
breath will bring you to rest in a field of
profound unity with all that is.
When the body is relaxed and healthy,
its various rhythms (cardiovascular, craniosacral, respiratory, etc) flow in a synchronous dance within the whole. Inherently linked to these body patterns,
the breath rises and falls in response to
a pulse of energy that moves through
your spine.
In last month’s issue, I explored the presence of a wave of energy that exists in
the spine. The awareness of this energy
is at the core of my work in YEM: Yoga
as Energy Medicine. By understanding
it, your yoga poses, and ultimately your
life, will effortlessly flower from deep
within.
This energy wave exists within everyone
and everything. It is the pulse of life itself. Yet because we live stressful lives,
fueled by habits and choices that perpetuate stress, we hold tension in our
body/being. Our breath b ecomes shallow and tense, and our we lack vitality
and ease. With age, injury and stress,
the wave and our energy flow lessen.
We can become rigid in body, mind
and spirit, which can be the root cause of illness and distress.
This simple and safe exercise will deepen your awareness of this amazing wave-like energy
that exists in your spine. It will show you how this energy is connected to and informed by
your breath. As in the past two issues, this exercise will lead to the one next month. Check
out last month’s issue if you have not already, and come back next month for more yogic fun. We are building towards you living your greatest joy through YEM: Yoga as Energy
Medicine.
Image credit: Walter Lai