“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”—Author unknown

And there are those miracles that literally do take your breath away ... like the Grand Canyon, an immense gorge in Arizona (image by Mette Enstrom), one of the most majestic wonders of the world. It's all about textures ... like something woven. Hiking down into this canyon is well worth the energy and the time.

But nothing really takes our breath away until that moment our last exhalation takes us away. And the first sign of life is the first breath we take. Life is but a series of breaths. This is why the first lesson always taught to my students is: “Your Breath (translated in several languages = Spirit) is the single, most important thing in your life. You wouldn't be here without it. Learn how to breathe consciously to live longer and to be really healthy!”

Learning how to breathe consciously and slowly should be the first lesson in a Yoga course. You can learn The Complete Yoga Breath on this site absolutely free. You can even listen to how it sounds, something you cannot hear in a book. Turn your speakers on and learn how to breathe by following along with me while you sit in front of your screen. The sound of one complete Yoga breath is all you need to at least understand it. It's fun, and it could change your life. It certainly will improve your physical health. Detailed instructions are provided in this Breath Series.

 

This short excerpt of one Complete Yoga Breath provided on this site is taken from a 10-minute breath segment of YOGANATA (my 1-hour Yoga DVD with a manual of detailed instructions referred to everywhere on these pages). I put it here to help you understand and learn the special sound of the breathing to and from the larynx. The 30-minute YOGANIDRA (Relaxation) takes you through every muscle in your body with the Complete Yoga Breath.

LEARNING TO LOVE NATURE

Learning to love and understand nature is the second lesson I point out to my students. By loving nature, we understand ourselves on a much deeper level. It is extremely important to be outside and feel the beauty of this place we call home—Earth. It is also a good idea to learn how to work with the soil—where everything we eat and drink comes from. The more you do this, the more you will care about the environment around you. Knowing about soil is extremely vital to our existence, too. This is why Yoga is more than an exercise or breath. It's a lifestyle that results in an expanded consciousness about our own true nature and about the world around us.

Remember always that you would not be here without that next breath you take—that one you are taking right now. Listen to it. Pay attention to it. Feel it fill your body with the energy of life itself. Connect with it. Feel that it is a part of you...it is you! Just simply think about it with intention. There is no rush. Relax. This is really all you need to do to begin your Yoga lessons.

Ancient books on Yoga teach about the science of breath and how to use it to inspire consciousness and physical and emotional health. They realized so long ago that the air you breathe is the spirit of the universe inhabiting you. This Breath Series section focuses solely on your breath and how to use it to improve your life in whatever area you choose. If you practice what is in these lessons, you will experience a transformation within a short time. There is nothing difficult or other-worldly about it.

Even if you are not spiritually inclined, and words about spirit and such turn you off, the physical attributes of The Complete Yoga Breath can change your life in a big way, too.

Breathing is yet another key component to maximize the movement of energy in your body. The practice of taking deep, slow breaths as often you can think of it during the day, will accelerate the power of the energy movements in Yoga.

To learn incredible breathing techniques that will eliminate stress in your life, teach you how to relieve pain, unblock your Kundalini to open your Chakras, use your inner voice to speak with power, sing without feeling like an idiot, and so much more ... the images (above right) will take you to the opening page of each how-to article, but the links below will take you to every page in this Series, one after another.