The Lost Art of Breathing

Breathing is vital (literally) of course. As Nestor points out, we do it at least 25,000 times each day! But we often take fulling our lungs for granted, unaware of bad habits that can lead to all manner of health problems.

Eastern spiritual traditions have long advocated harnessing the power of the breath. Yoga is a great example of integrating and developing your breathing.

As a singer, I’ve always been aware of the importance of the breath, and the need to use it efficiently. Nestor’s book makes some pretty bold claims for the simple act of breathing. Done well, he suggests it can:

• improve exercise techniques and ‘jump start’ athletic performance;

• restore healthy sleep and cure snoring;

• halt allergies, asthma and even autoimmune disease; straighten scoliotic spines.

Some of the experimental techniques Nestor undergoes (so we don’t have to) include having his nostrils blocked for ten days and being attached to all manner of medical apparatus.

But even making slight adjustments to the way we breath can bring instant benefits, and if the empirical evidence of a thousand years of meditation (Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and more) is anything to go by, the ancients all knew something we’ve forgotten.

We need to breath to live (obviously) but if we learn to breath better, we can live better too.

For further information about breathing as a mindfulness tool, take a look at the short video on mindful breathing.