‘Deep breathing alone has made many a weak man strong and many a sick man well.’ – Martin ‘Farmer’ Burns ‘Lessons in Wrestling and Physical Culture’
We have a space between our eyebrows where lies one of our main energy centres and considered the seat of consciousness by martial artists, yoga teachers, and spiritual masters.
When I focus on the area my eyebrows, I become relaxed as well as focused, my thoughts lessen and distractions disappear.
My breathing becomes regularised, becomes deeper, slower, and my mind calms down.
I repeat within the quote by Rumi: ‘Let silence take you to the core of life‘ and I listen in silence. I am here in the present moment and that this is what I really have – the present and nothing else.
When we become mindful of the present we affirm that the past is gone and the future does not lie here – ‘I am’ only here and this is the meaning of my life, to understand that there is only this the present moment.
When I live my life on the outside I can be a different being than who I really am on the inside.
What goes on inside of me: my thoughts, loves and hates I hide away from the outside world and I retreat within myself to confront these emotional disturbances within. This is really where my battles lie and need to be fought, these are my jihads and my crusades – within.
Our breathing is a unique process of our bodies. Unlike, digestion, our breathing is both an involuntary control mechanism as well as voluntary; it can shift between being piloted and being left on autopilot.
The key for me is to understand is that I must master my breathing, to understand my self and my be mindful of not just who I am but where I am – in the present moment.
This mind is socially and culturally conditioning and gives mental imagery, commentary and provokes fears, induces desires that keep me from being centred and silent within.
I have forgotten that value of ‘silence’ – that silence before my birth – and that silence which I will embrace again when I die.
The meaning of my life is to find silence within and to know that I am always here in the present moment and do not exist anywhere else – neither the past nor the future.
But now I have found it – this meaning of my life is to breathe with the knowledge that I am just another human being, just another form of life. But I will dishonour my soul should I live my life in any way that enslaves me to unreasoned manipulation or conditioning of our society or culture.
The breathing techniques I have learned and worked on for some three months and which at first I found challenging and now my mind has become more disciplined, centred, quieter and peaceful and it is through this silence that I am discovering in who I really am and the purpose of my life.
Let me show you how I practice this active ‘Silence’ through this breathing meditation.
I start with what can be called as self-induced ‘hyperventilation:
I then move to listen to how I breathe and concentrate on my breath and body – especially the stomach. I take deeper breaths and hold them and move to visualise my energy centres activating.
I expel all of the air from my chest and keep my lungs empty for 9 seconds. Then, breathe in as fully as I can through my mouth and as soon as I cannot breathe in more I expel the air gently – not force it through my mouth.
And I do this for some 9 times (sometimes I do this for 18 or 27 times, depending on the time I have).
I relax and concentrate on my breath – here what usually happens is my stomach is oxygenated and I stop breathing and so I wait for 18, 37, 36 or 45 seconds and then take in a further 9 breaths – these are different than above, here I breathe in through my nose for 9 seconds, hold for 9 seconds and gently let out the breath for 9 seconds – this second part I do through my nose.
I move towards the end of this process and find my mind and body experiencing a focused relaxation.
The more I do this the more over time my senses become heightened, the body becomes stronger but relaxed, mind silent and focused.
Maybe I should just teach this in my next workshop?
It is only a ten – minute exercise?
Done three times a day… Can be done standing, sitting or lying down…
The name of this breathing exercise/meditation technique is called The ‘WhoThou’ method.
No you won’t find it online… 🙂
Whoever Brought Me Here?
All day I think about it, then at night, I say it.
Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing?
I have no idea.
My soul is from elsewhere, I’m sure of that,
and I intend to end up there.
This drunkenness began in some other tavern.
When I get back around to that place,
I’ll be completely sober. Meanwhile,
I’m like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary.
The day is coming when I fly off,
but who is it now in my ear who hears my voice?
Who says words with my mouth?
Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul?
I cannot stop asking.
If I could taste one sip of an answer,
I could break out of this prison for drunks.
I didn’t come here of my own accord, and I can’t leave that way.
Whoever brought me here, will have to take me home.
This poetry. I never know what I’m going to say.
I don’t plan it.
When I’m outside the saying of it,
I get very quiet and rarely speak at all.
Rumi
Mohammed Abbasi
Mohammed Abbasi 