The thoracic “lobular” breathing and relaxation
The breath, in the Indian
culture, is associated with the eternal breath of life and so
has a fundamental importance also in the processes of
metaphysical evolution but is, in my opinion, also the more
appropriate mean to spread the “prana” (evident energy) into the
human body, which presence promotes health and healing.
Don’t forget, anyway, that, thanks to the breathing in, we
introduce oxygen into the lungs and, through the blood
circulation, it is spread into the whole body, while the
breathing out is the function that nature uses to expel the
carbon dioxide arrived to the breathing apparatus with the
blood.
Let’s consider both the body and the blood circulation and the
breathing apparatus, divided into three parts; we have: the
abdominal breathing that can influence the health of the lower
part of the body (from the low abdomen, down) considered
“physical-instinctual”; the intercostal thoracic breathing,
called medium, that concerns the cardiovascular system and the
“emotional” constitution and in the end the high or clavicular
breathing that acts on the health of the organs in relation with
the intellectual aspect.
Let’s consider, therefore, the possibility of favoring both the
prevention and the healing of cardiovascular diseases by setting
up a correct and more efficient thoracic breathing.
Here is what you can do:
Sit down on the floor. The best position is the oriental one, on
the heels, because, in this position, the vertebral column is
spontaneously erect and, consequently, the thorax is open and
not contract. If you have any problem, you can sit down
cross-legged or on a chair, as long as your back is detached
from the chair back.
Start the “lobular” breathing by putting your hands on the
thorax, near the pectoral muscles, so that the middle fingers
touch lightly. The hands’ contact favors the concentration in
the interested area. Deeply breathe in trying to channel the air
into the breathing apparatus’ area that is under your hands.
If you are doing it correctly, the thorax expands itself by
causing the separation of the middle fingers and that will
allows you, day after day, to check your progresses.
On the contrary, when you breathe out, the anterior part of the
thorax has to contract until the hands are overlapping.
Repeat this exercise, complete of breathing in and out, from 3
to 9 times and then bring, staying at the same level, the hands
at the sides, on the ribs, and, always paying attention on the
contact point of the hands with the body, promote the expansion
and the contraction of the intercostal muscles to develop a good
lateral breathing. Also this exercise, as the one that follows,
has to be repeated several times.
Finally, bring the palm of the hands in contact with the
posterior area just under the shoulder blades, and try to feel
the breath also in this area to bring it to a balanced expansion
and contraction.
I want you to notice that if you have difficulties in performing
being seated, these exercises can also be practiced lying down
on the floor or on the bed. Some variant version involves the
development of the lateral part that concerns a realization, not
bilateral but by turning on the right and then on the left side,
the development of every single area. Pay attention to the arm’s
position that has to be perpendicular to the floor. Its slipping
back would cause a less introduction of air. If you have
difficulties with the hands’ position, once you lie prone, to
give rise to the posterior development, you can lean on the
hands’ back instead that on the palms.
As a conclusion, it would be better to take a moment of
relaxation. This practice, according to the Indian tradition,
consists in realizing first of all a correct position, with the
head to the north and the feet to the south to follow the normal
polarity of the earth axis; then keep in mind that when the body
is relaxed the cold sensation increases and so it’s better to
cover yourself; the eyes are to be sweetly closed, the arms
stretched on the sides of the body, not too near nor too far and
the hands’ palm up; the legs stretched and relaxed with the
feet’s points to the outer side.
After that, through the awareness, the body is guided to
completely abandon itself, go on to the breath’s consciousness
raising. Start from the development of a passive observation
and, while the breathing is getting slower and deeper, the
rhythm begins to balance itself until it reaches a perfect
trade-off on both the functions: breathing in and out. The
correct relaxation’s performance favours a reduced use of oxygen
and the decrease of the heartbeat.
If the relaxation is well done, generally it offers not only
opportunities on a physical level, but it also allows inquiries
on the psychic level, by often helping the performers to find
the diseases’ causes that sometimes are just there.
by Amadio Bianchi