Breath
The master yogis knew and shared the wisdom of the breath and breathing as a path to Self-Realisation, the alchemical spiritual evolution of the human body and psyche.
The first step on this journey, I find, is to start having a loving relationship with our breath.
The definition of breath that is relevant to our yoga practice is :
air inhaled and exhaled in breathing.
The definition of breathing that is relevant to our yoga practice:
: to draw air into and expel it from the lungs : RESPIRE
broadly : to take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide through natural processes
b: to inhale and exhale freely
Read below for further Merriam-Webster dictionary definitions that are just as interesting if not all together relevant for our topic of yoga. Although I do find that the yoga practice/sadhana is like a “breath of fresh air’’ in the day or you might find yourself “living and breathing” your sadhana :-D.
We all breathe, yet many of us do not use our breath consciously to improve our well being, our state of mind, our digestion, our mood etc...we can all learn to breathe better than we already do, and it only takes practice. See Scrolls on Breath-Work, Prana, Pranayama.
Breath practice in Yoga can be done through movements (Hatha/Vinyasa Yoga), can be done sitting or lying down in stillness or can even be the object of meditation practice. Breath practice and Meditation practice is not always the same thing. Breath practices are meditative. Yet breath when used as a tool of meditation serves another purpose. Then the breath is not actively moved this way or that as it is in Breath-Work. Natural breathing is the foundation breath to observe both for breath-work and meditation techniques.
More from Merriam Webster on Breath and Breathing
breath noun
ˈbreth
Definition of breath
1a
: air filled with a fragrance or odor
b: a slight indication : SUGGESTION
the faintest breath of scandal
2a
: the faculty of breathing
recovering his breath after the race
b: an act of breathing
fought to the last breath
c: opportunity or time to breathe : RESPITE
3: a slight breeze
4a: air inhaled and exhaled in breathing
bad breath
b: something (such as moisture on a cold surface) produced by breath or breathing
c: INHALATION
5: a spoken sound : UTTERANCE
6: SPIRIT, ANIMATION
breath of fresh air
: a welcome or refreshing change
in one breath or in the same breath
: almost simultaneously
out of breath
: breathing very rapidly (as from strenuous exercise)
under one's breath
: so as to be barely audible
mumbled something under his breath
breathed; breathing
Definition of breathe
intransitive verb
1a: to draw air into and expel it from the lungs : RESPIRE
broadly : to take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide through natural processes
b: to inhale and exhale freely
2: to blow softly
3: LIVE
4: to pause and rest before continuing
5: to feel free of restraint
needs room to breathe
6a: to permit passage of air or vapor
a fabric that breathes
b of an internal combustion engine : to use air to support combustion
c: to be cooled or dried by air that passes by or through
clothing that allows your skin to breathe
7 of wine : to develop flavor and bouquet by exposure to air
8a: to become perceptible : be expressed
a personality that breathes and that distinguishes his work
— Bennett Schiff
b obsolete : to emit a fragrance or aura
transitive verb
1: to inhale and exhale
breathe air
2a: to send out by exhaling
b: to instill by or as if by breathing
breathe new life into the movement
3: to take in in breathing
breathe the scent of pines
4a: UTTER, EXPRESS
don't breathe a word of it to anyone
b: to make manifest : EVINCE
the novel breathes despair
5: to give rest from exertion to
6: to spend a great deal of time, thought, or effort on (something) : to be wholly devoted to (some interest or activity)
The Virginia native may not breathe basketball 24-7 … but during games and practice, his focus is second to none.
— Robbi Pickeral
As with visiting companies, one of the key reasons for going to conferences is to avoid the tunnel vision that can overcome managers who live and breathe their business.
— Leslie Brokaw
breathe down one's neck
1: to threaten especially in attack or pursuit
2: to keep one under close or constant surveillance
parents always breathing down his neck
breathe easy or breathe easier or breathe easily or breathe freely
: to enjoy relief (as from pressure or danger)