The Necessity of Breath
Pneuma Center- Apr 2
- 3 min read
On the most basic level, breathing is a life-sustaining process more important than even food or water for our survival. Without breath, we could not exist for longer than a few minutes. Breathing deeply and consciously improves the quality of our health, emotions and our ability to be more present in our experiences. It centers us so that we may show up, open and available, for both the beauty and challenges of our life.
Additionally, oxygen is our greatest and first source of energy. It is the fuel required for the proper operation of all bodily systems. Many find it surprising to learn that only 10% of our energy comes from food and water and 90% of our energy comes from oxygen. Thus, every cell in our body requires oxygen to live and, even more so, the optimal levels to thrive.
Further, billions of pounds of chemicals are being introduced into our air, water, soil and food annually and the impact these toxins have on our health and planet is critical. Research even suggests that we are exposed up to 300 different chemicals a day, depending on where we live. Every time we take in these toxins from our environment, they enter our body and redistribute through our cells. Breathing deeply, however, cleanses our system of residual toxins and allows for oxygenated blood to circulate, purify and nourish our body. Breathing deeply also increases respiration and circulation, and as a result, improves the flow of lymphatic fluid which aids in the elimination of waste in over 600 nodes throughout the body. In fact, did you know that breathing alone is responsible for 70% of toxin elimination within the body?
“Many healings of other physical troubles have occurred in my clients after they started to integrate breathing practices into their lives. There is a simple but encompassing reason that may explain this. The human body is designed to discharge 70% of its toxins through breathing. Only a small percentage of toxins are discharged through sweat, defecation and urination. If your breathing is not operating at peak efficiency, you are not ridding yourself of toxins properly.” - Gay Hendricks, Ph.D., Conscious Breathing, p.17
Breathwork benefits may include:
Soothe and Regulate the Nervous System: Many are in constant, low-grade stress as a result of the modern world and tend to breathe shallowly and quickly. Deep and conscious breathing, however, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which initiates the body’s natural relaxation response. This is the exact opposite of a stress response. Breathe slower, deeper, and more consciously when you feel stressed or anxious and notice the effects.
Increase Clarity and Focus: Conscious breathing deeply oxygenates the brain. Try three slow, deep, conscious breaths the next time you are about to make an important decision. Feel the clarity. Notice your ability to focus more intentionally on the subject at hand.
Elevate Consciousness: Ancient Shamanistic and Pranayama teachers around the globe were able to access altered states of consciousness through breath. Through a practice of noticing and thus controlling your breathing, you can create a consistent elevated mood with deep, conscious breaths throughout your day.
Deliver More Oxygen to the Body: The 1931 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Otto Warburg who discovered that anaerobic diseases cannot thrive in a highly oxygenated environment. What’s one measure for increasing oxygen? Taking deeper breaths. Conscious Breathwork allows the breather to receive up to 60% more oxygen.
“Cells undergoing partial oxygen starvation send out tiny panic signals which are collectively felt in the body as a continuous vague sensation of uneasiness, dread or disaster. This low level generalized warning tends to get tuned out as mere ‘background noise’ by the individual experiencing it. Or it is attributed to other sources of uneasiness ... People rarely suspect that the constant vague feelings of helplessness, fatigue … uneasiness are symptoms of cellular oxygen deprivation.” - The Townsend Letter For Doctors
“In all serious disease states we find a concomitant low oxygen state...Low oxygen in the body tissues is a sure indicator for disease...Hypoxia, or lack of oxygen in the tissues, is the fundamental cause for all degenerative disease. Oxygen is the source of life to all cells.” - Dr. Stephen Levine, Renowned Molecular Biologist and Geneticist, Oxygen Deficiency: A Concomitant To All Degenerative Illness
“All chronic pain, suffering, and diseases are caused by a lack of oxygen at the cell level.” - Dr. Arthur C. Guyton, MD, The Textbook On Medical Physiology
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