Every Breath You Take
When I was new to Yoga, I walked out of a class during the savasana (sha-VAH-suh-nuh). Savasana is the 5 to 10 minutes at the end of class where you lay still on your back to cool down, breathe, refocus, and relax. Sitting still when there were so many things to get done in a day seemed pointless to me. At the time I was not aware of the power held within the savasana. As I practiced yoga more, I started to listen to the breaths in the room and began to see the power found in my own breath, and in the savasana.
Breath is the foundation of life. When we are born, the first thing we do is inhale. And, exhaling is the last thing we do before death. Breathing crosses all cultural, language, and race barriers because we all breathe to live. It is a connection we have with each other, a mixing and intertwining between all living things.
The Hebrew word Ruach, the Greek word Pneuma, and the Sanskrit word Prana, are all translated as breath, wind, or spirit. They are words used in many religious traditions for God as breath, spirit, and life. The literal name of God in Hebrew is YaHWeH which also means breath. I am no Hebrew scholar, but I have been told that vowels are very different in Hebrew and that YaHWeh, as we know it, is actually YHWH in Hebrew. The Hebrew sounds of YHWH, “yod,” “heh,” “vav,” and “waw,” are considered aspirate vowels that do not make any sound and are made with an open mouth just as when we inhale and exhale. Our very breathing is saying the name of God.
Breathing is one of the functions of the autonomic nervous system. Most of the time, we breathe without thinking about it, not putting much thought or effort into it. Breathing can become a powerful life force with deliberate intention. Scientists concur that controlled breathing can impact oxygen intake, heart function, blood pressure, cardiovascular health, depression, anxiety, stress, and pain control.
“Bodies alive are bodies breathed.”
Recently I was in a yoga class and the instructor said, “When we control our breathing, we control our mind.” Breathing can help us control thoughts and intentions, for sure. Spending even just a few minutes practicing deep breathing impacts not just our mind, but our heart and body, too. Inhaling is an expansive action that allows us to make room for new ideas, thoughts, and behaviors. While exhaling is a letting go action that can help us release thoughts, ideas, and behaviors that may not be helpful. The very act of being still and breathing can help us know what those things are. Intentional breathing can help us find more connection and more intertwining with ourselves, our community, and God.
There are many fantastic techniques for breathing such as box breathing, 4-7-8 breathing, and more. Consider breathing the name of YHWH as a contemplative practice. Simply inhale with the sound of “yod”, and exhale with the sound of “heh” or “waw.” Practice saying “YHWH” just by breathing. If your mind is racing, make your exhales longer than your inhales in an attempt to clear your mind, concentrate on the sounds, and breathe. Maybe breathe YHWH through your next savasana!
Perhaps you are wanting to find space to breathe in your life? I would love to talk with you about how Enneagram Coaching can help.
May you find your breath with grace and peace.
April 2024
Yahweh’s Restoration Ministry. “Breathing the Name Yahweh.” Yahweh’s Restoration Ministry, 28 Mar. 2022, yrm.org/breathing-the-name-yahweh/#:~:text=Yahweh. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.
News, Neuroscience. “Master Your Breath, Master Your Health: The Transformative Power of Controlled Breathing.” Neuroscience News, 7 July 2023, neurosciencenews.com/controlled-breathing-health-23594/#:~:text=According%20to%20research%2C%20controlled%20breathing. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.
McBride, Hillary. The Wisdom of Your Body. Brazos Press, 12 Oct. 2021.