Breath
The Wonders of Your Breath
Psychology
The Breath is a powerful tool. We can breathe without thinking about it - it’s regulated in our autonomic nervous system, AND we can control it with our conscious minds. It connects two different parts of our brain. A slow deep exhale, slows down our heart rate.*
I once relived a traumatic event and my body panicked as if it were in danger. I was so overwhelmed that I felt like part of myself tried to leave my body. For weeks after that incident, my heart rate was elevated and it was difficult to return to a state of calm. One of the things that helped to slow my heart and body, was practicing breathwork. I breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. I also used 4-7-8 breathing.
4-7-8 breathing is inhaling for a count of 4, holding the breath for 7 counts, then exhaling for 8. This long and slow exhale, literally slows down our heart rate and nervous system.
Linguistics + Theology
I studied linguistics (the science of language) in undergraduate university. It includes the study of phonology, the study of sound systems. So when I learned in a Bible study that the name of the Jewish God is YHWH and connected the name with Breath - I recognized that the letters y, h, w - are glides. Phonetic glides must be combined with vowels to make a sound because your mouth is open. Essentially, God’s name YHWH is breath. And another name of the Jewish God is Ruach Elohim. Ruach, means spirit, breath in Hebrew. So if breath is part of the essence of God, then we invoke our Imago Dei when we control our breath to retake our body when trauma leads to us being disembodied.
Biology
Breathing can help to control pain in our body, which many women use during childbirth. When I was pregnant, my husband and I hired a doula to help with the process and she taught me a breathing technique for pain management during labor. To demonstrate that it works, she showed us an exercise, that you can try too. Look up YouTube videos of breathing techniques for labor. Have someone squeeze your leg inducing a small amount of pain. Do it without the breathing technique, and then again with the breathing technique. You should notice a difference in the amount of pain felt. Amazing right?
Breathing can connect our mind and body. Breath is the Hebrew name of God.
Breathing can help us come back to our bodies. Breathing can help us manage pain.
The wonders of your Breath.
*Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score, this book is highly recommended for understanding trauma.
