Breathe easy

Did you know that fall is the lung season? I just learned this from my health coach/ fitness trainer, Tysan. As someone with Asthma, I consider every season the one to take care of my lugs, but I am happy to pay extra attention in the fall.

My coach gave me the box breathing exercise— inhale for a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4 and hold for 4. Repeat for 5 minutes. Now, I find myself practicing this when I am waiting for a train, cooking dinner, and/or just before bed.  As my friends, Cindy, and Linda, both Reiki masters have explained, the lungs are part of the heart chakra (see image above for chakras). “Among the seven primary energy centers that exist within the human body, the Heart Chakra - also known as Anahata - is the fourth and often considered the most crucial. It is the bridge between the lower and upper chakras, balancing the material and spiritual worlds and facilitating our emotional and physical well-being. Pure love opens the fourth chakra, allowing us to receive and give love unconditionally.” — Ram Jain, Arhanta Yoga The heart chakra is where you find “prana”, life force energy.

So, beyond box breathing, how do we treat and heal our lungs (and heart chakra)? When the heart chakra and/or lungs are blocked we can feel closed off from the world, lonely, and unable to relate to others. Breathing exercises, reciting mantras, and/or yoga poses can open it up.

Abdominal Breathing exercise:

1.    “For this exercise, you will lie in a comfortable position on your back. You may use a yoga mat or soft pad to cushion you, or you could do this while lying in bed in the morning or evening.

2.   To begin, rest one hand on your abdomen and one hand on your chest. Breathe in slowly until you feel your stomach rise higher than your chest. Exhale from your mouth, and then inhale again through your nose, feeling your stomach rise each time.

3.   If possible, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and breathe out for 8 seconds. You should contract your abdominal muscles to push all the air out of your lungs. Repeat 5 times.” — Center for Allergy & Asthma of Georgia

Also, the cold weather/air can cause muscles to tighten, including the lungs, so exercising the lungs can ensure that you are breathing at your full capacity. So the next time you step outside and take in a breath of fresh air (or in the case of NYC, polluted air), remember that your lungs need exercise too.