Breathe
Another one about the breath.
(I’ve got to much time on my hands – you’ll see what I mean)
In Ashtanga you don’t hold an asana for 20 seconds you hold it for five breaths (most of them). Five of your breaths; and as I see it, that makes this practice a personal journey. Your five breaths are not the same as my five breaths. It’s an individual experience and an opportunity to feel what happens when your breath enters your body. How it makes its way through the nostrils, hits the back of the throat, down the windpipe, and into your lungs. How does it feel as you inhale and when you exhale is it the same, different, better or worse. Is your tongue touching the roof of your mouth or is it relaxed and floating. Do you focus on dristi or in certain asanas do you close your eyes (I do). Do you spend the time to feel all those sensations. How do you feel as that is happening. For me, at its best, I feel strong, completely relaxed, and free of thought. For a person with MS to feel all that is more than what I thought possible.
One day I decided to time my breath and understanding that some asanas are not as difficult as others therefore breath corresponds. For example: in downward facing dog, an asana I really enjoy, it takes me about one minute to breathe five times. In my backbend, an asana I really struggle in, I breathe five times in about 20 seconds.
I analyzed my primary series practice including sun salutations and closing, and determined that for at least 54 minutes I’m not physically moving at all; I’m just still and breathing. That represents approximately two thirds of practice.
If I say that one breath is an inhale and and exhale then there are approximately 821 breaths in practice ( 80 minute duration). In normal or not-paying-any-attention type breathing there are approximately 1,200 breaths in the same amount of time. So when I am not conscious about breathing, and under no strain I breathe 379 more times than when I am under physical stress during practice. Sounds counter intuitive doesn’t it. But it’s the awareness that makes the difference.
Breath has become a personal experience for me that often provides moments of complete peace and dare I say revelation. It’s unique in that it’s mine and my experience. No one has exactly the same experience.
When I breathe during practice in that knowing, slow, and deep breath I feel and comprehend who I am. I can slow myself down to these moments relax and sink myself in that calm bath. Sometimes in certain asanas it’s an exercise that requires no effort whatsoever. And other times when I loose that breathing pattern it becomes difficult to exist in the asana.
I’m not saying that the breath is the only thing required to succeed in an asana, it’s not. There is obviously effort, physical strength, and flexibility required. But for an asana to be successful for me, there also needs to be that sense of deep relaxation. There are asanas that I can’t do no mater how I breathe. And it’s always difficult for me to breathe in an asana I don’t feel comfortable in. Kind of a chicken or egg thing.
But my practice is not based on one or two asanas, it’s based on the entire practice from start to finish. There are physical benefits throughout but the realization that practice delivers more is what it’s about for me. That sounds more deep than it really is. Breath is life, plain and simple – just like me – ha.
Be safe.
Note:
I calculated the amount of breaths in practice by using R. Sharath Jois’s book Astanga Yoga Anusthana. I did time certain asana breaths in my own practice and I determined how much breathing occurs while being still by averaging how many breaths per minute, and then how many breaths while in asana. The numbers are in no way exact but they are pretty close; it is an estimate and was intended to satisfy my own curiosity – I really do have too much time on my hands….
Cool analysis!