CULTIVATING YOUR BREATH FOR BETTER SKIN AND HEALTH

Cultivating breath for better skin.

Oxygen is a wonderful antioxidant, unless I’m in poor air, I am cultivating my breath. It is health and life-force and awareness of self in place.

There is a correlation between the breath and stress (also not good for the skin). It is very difficult for the body to stay in stress when your breathing is deep and slow.

In the ancient Chinese practice of Chi Gong, there are six qualities of the breath that we foster. Long, slow, deep, fine, even, tranquil.

As much as my attention allows me to, I practice cultivating these qualities.

At some point it becomes natural.

I close my mouth and keep my tongue on the roof of my mouth - which helps energy flow throughout the body. Breath through the nose, as it filters fine pollutants, and moistens the air before it enters the lungs. Relax your jaw and begin the process of first observing what the breaths depth and frequency is. Is it quick and shallow or something else.

As you you breath in, extend the belly, this fills more of the lungs. We have five lobes in the lungs, most people when they breath only fill a couple. By distending the belly as we breath in, you activate the diaphragm, which acts like a bellows, drawing oxygen deep into all of the lungs lobes. Don’t think you will get a protruding belly by doing this, you are actually strengthening your stomach muscles with this practice.

Once you have got this basic belly breathing in hand, start refining it by cultivating the six characteristics of the breath.

Long - means just that, a long and steady stream of air. Slow - is an unhurried respiratory rate and an unhurried mind. Deep - is drawing the breath deep down into the naval, filling the whole lower part of torso , kidney as well. Fine - is smooth and quiet. Even - is an even inhalation to exhalation. Tranquil  - is being free of worries while you breath. 

Cultivate these qualities in the breath for health and wellbeing.