Breathing

A painting by Jody Uttal which I find
captures what it feels to breathe & flow
freely - without dogma, no inhibitions,
just... Breath.

The simplest and most inspirational explanation on the power within each Breath.

Every breathe holds the magic of transformation and it exists in all cultures. Defined as Pranayam to yoga practitioners, essential in Zazen practice and key to managing Chi, this is by far, the most beautiful interpretation to remind us that the world is within:


"In deep breathing together, something of deep empathy arises; you become one - because breath is life. Then feeling can be transferred, thoughts can be transferred. 


Pranayam means to breathe with the whole. That is my translation, not "control of breath" but to breathe with the whole. It is absolutely uncontrolled! If you control, how can you breathe with the whole? So to translate pranayam as "breath control" is a misunderstanding. It is not only incorrect, inadequate, it is certainly wrong. Just the opposite is the case.


To breathe with the whole, to become the breath of the eternal and the whole, is pranayam. then you expand. Then your life energy goes on expanding with the trees and mountains and sky and you have completely disappeared. Now you no longer breathe; the whole breathes in you. Now your breathing and the whole's breathing are never apart; they are always together. So much so that it is now useless to say. "This is my breath.""


~ Osho