Happy: Secrets to Happiness from the Cultures of the World (Lonely Planet) by Lonely Planet

Author:Lonely Planet [Planet, Lonely]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Lonely Planet Global Limited
Published: 2013-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE

SECRET CONNECT YOUR WHOLE BEING – MIND, BODY AND BREATH

Tradition Yoga

Date Any time

Celebrated in India

Our mind and body are inherently connected, but it’s something we often forget. Emotions can provoke a physical response – stress brings on sweating and tense muscles, fear makes us shiver or feel nauseous – and there is a theory that disease is related to a negative emotional state. But the converse is also true: we can use our body to alter our state of mind for the better.

The ancient Indian practice of yoga has many different facets and a highly developed philosophy. One of yoga’s core concepts is the connection of mind and body through the function of the breath, or prana. Concentrating on breathing, whether performing specific postures or sitting still, keeps the mind focused on the body.

Deep, steady breathing encourages physical relaxation, and results in biological changes: our blood pressure is lowered, and resources that might otherwise be held ready for ‘fight or flight’ responses are allocated to the digestive, immune and other essential bodily systems, allowing them to heal. As the body recharges, the mind is stilled, leading to a sense of peace and happiness that’s known in yoga tradition as santosa, or contentment.

Yoga is a popular activity worldwide, but you don’t have to be a yogi to apply the principle. Using your breath to control mind and body can be a particularly powerful technique in times of pain or stress, as any midwife can attest.

Next time you find yourself strapped in a dentist’s chair, running late for a meeting or in any situation that has you reaching for the headache pills, remember to stop, calm your thoughts, and breathe.

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