I have been thinking a lot about breath lately. I have an impending workshop I am preparing for in October that focuses on Pranayama. Pranayama is one of the eight limbs of Yoga as outlined by Patanjali and interpreted by many many other students and teachers of Yoga.
BKS Iyengar speaks about the breath (prana) in his book Light on Life. "Prana is usually translated as breath, yet this is only one if its manifestations. According to the Upanishads, it is the principle of life and consciousness. It is equated with the Soul (atman). It is the breath of life in all beings in the universe. They are born through it, and live with it, and when they die their individual breath releases into the cosmic breath. It is the most essential, real, and present feature of every moment of our lives and yet it remains the most mysterious. It is Yoga's job, and especially pranayama's, to enter into the heart of this mystery"
So this notion of the esoteric qualities of breath really does link us to each other. Each breath I inhale, you have exhaled to release your breath to me. Each exhale I release creates prana for you to inhale. We constantly offer and receive without any real awareness on our part other than when we focus on this action with intention. That means each inhale is a gift, a loving offering, intended or not, from every breathing creature on this planet. Each exhalation ,intended or not, is an offering to every creature on this earth.
I am honored and blessed to share this breath with all of you until I release it completely at the end of this journey.
Namaste
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