What the breath
Most of the people I used to know reside in cemeteries, and they don’t breathe. The ones I know do breathe, but it’s temporary. My greatest inspiration in life was my first inhale as I separated from my mother. I will indeed expire after my last exhale, as so many before me.
Breathing is something I do every day, also on weekends, over and over again. During the day, I’m busy with many minor things which are far less critical to my existence than taking Air into my body. Sometimes, on rare occasions when I feel it would have been better if I wasn’t breathing at all, I make an effort and inhale; the exhale takes care of itself. Breathing affects every single organ in my body, even my lungs.
The way I breathe reflects my past, present, and future; it’s here and now, but it’s also all the time and everywhere. My breath follows me like a long shadow no matter where I go.
Breathing helps me with my doings, but more importantly, it supports my being. It’s my most basic act of life, and doing it in sync with who I am is key to my well-being.
Plenty of advice is available on nutrition, hydration, staying fit, and sleep hygiene, but somewhat less on breathing.
In recent years the ‘construction’ of physical health stood on three fundamental pillars: Food – Motion – Sleep. No doubt that these three are vital for our well-being and good health. Changing the structure to four cornerstones, with the fourth being breath, may improve the construction’s stability and ability to withstand shaky ground.
