Breath is the power of life and healing. Not only does breath give us life, but the very way we breathe determines the way we live. It is not only fair trade of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our body but the very vital life energies that we are.

‘When the breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the breath is still, so is the mind still’

Hatha Yoga Pradipika

It is truly astonishing how little attention we pay to the importance of proper breathing in daily life. When we are born, it is in our instinct to take deep breaths but as we grow older our breath tends to become more and shallower, never reaching the abdomen as it used to when we were carefree children. If we pay enough attention, we can notice that when we are angry, peaceful, happy, or sad, our breath goes through subtle changes. Whichever way you breathe, that is the way you think. Whichever way you think, that is the way you breathe. Whichever, way we think, is the way our lives are going to be? Therefore, breath is the most important and powerful factor to maneuver our lives the very way we want it. As you breathe consciously, you become aware of your life forces - in that awareness, you discover joy, positive emotions, and all the mindless thinking just dissolves. Focusing on how we breathe can have a major effect in our psychological and actual wellbeing.

Tips:

“If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.”

Andrew Weil

Conscious breathing demands you to be in the present and when you are mindful of the present, you aren’t loaded with thoughts of the past and future. ‘Just breathe’ are two magical words that you can always remember and practice. It will lead to a balanced mind that swims in the realm of peace, truth, and serenity. The conscious act of breathing involves sitting up straight, inhaling oxygen deeply, holding your breath for 3-4 seconds, and then exhaling slowly, till you can’t feel any sensation near your nose. If you sit with your spine erect, your organs will have the maximum possible comfort and improve breathing. Just following this simple technique brings a great number of positive changes in your body, mind, and soul. It leads to a burst of energy as a million cells get rejuvenated which were starving due to unconscious breathing. Conscious breathing also helps in reducing stress levels, blood pressure, muscular tension, and much more. Try to mindfully breathe, slowly and gently like this as much as you can throughout the day.
Did you remember to take deep breaths?
Change your context. “The quality of our lives changes and transforms not because we change the content of our lives, but only because we change the context of our lives.” Consciously relieve yourself of tension. “If you create any tension in the body or the mind, you will slowly work against yourself. If your body is tense, your mind will be tense. If your mind is tense, your body will be tense. Don’t turn your energies against you!” Manage yourself, not your stress. “Stress is your inability to manage your body, mind, and energies. If your mind took instructions from you, would you keep it stressful or blissful? What’s your choice? Isn’t it blissful?”

Yoga is a way of life. The practical implications of yogaic ideals in daily life includes the simple philosophies that contributes to better living. Anything and everything that brings us to a state of union with existence is yoga; the very fundamentals of the brain’s activity, inner chemistry, and genetic predispositions can be changed by practicing certain systems of yoga. According to modern science, it is now proven beyond any doubt that the whole existence is just one energy manifesting itself into various forms which is a living reality for us and we begin to experience everything as one, then we are in yoga. Yoga predates all religions, making it a tool for people of any faith to practice it and reap its benefits.
Yoga can be transmitted on many different levels such as, physical and mental wellbeing which includes health and other aspects. Yoga can be practiced just to get rid of our backache, get better mental focus, peace of mind, and happiness in our life, as a way of climbing up to the highest possibility within ourselves.

‘We should know the joy of being truly well, not just physical wellbeing, but to know and exude wellbeing in all dimensions of your existence.’

Sadhguru

Did you know? If you stick to the classical form of yoga, over a while, your breath will become slow. There are very poetic expressions for this like if it becomes 11 per minute, you understand the language of every animal and bird around you. If it becomes 9, and you understand the very language that the Earth is speaking. If it becomes 7, you know everything worth knowing in existence. That means your body becomes so stable that there is no static, no crackle – it just perceives everything.

Mindful meditation is a way to enter new environment and listen to a guided voice that encourages mindfulness and relaxation. It means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.

Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them – without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. Though it has its roots in Buddhist meditation, a secular practice of mindfulness has entered the American mainstream in recent years, in part through the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, which he launched at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979. Since that time, thousands of studies have documented the physical and mental health benefits of mindfulness in general and MBSR in particular, inspiring countless programs to adapt the MBSR model for schools, prisons, hospitals, veterans’ centers, and beyond. Mindful meditation is a mental training practice that teaches you to slow down racing thoughts, let go of negativity, and calm both your mind and body.

Mindfulness has its origins in Buddhist and Hindu teachings, from which the concept “sati” was roughly translated to “mindfulness.” The practice was popularized in the West through the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn. Zinn created MBSR to treat pain, anxiety, and stress, and he ultimately brought mindfulness into mainstream clinical practice.

The cultivation of mindfulness has roots in Buddhism, but most religions include some type of prayer or meditation technique that helps shift your thoughts away from your usual preoccupations toward an appreciation of the moment and a larger perspective on life.

Professor Emeritus Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder and former director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, helped to bring the practice of mindfulness meditation into mainstream medicine and demonstrated that practicing mindfulness can bring improvements in both physical and psychological symptoms as well as positive changes in health, attitudes, and behaviors.

Mindfulness improves well-being: Increasing your capacity for mindfulness supports many attitudes that contribute to a satisfying life. Being mindful makes it easier to savor the pleasures in life as they occur, helps you become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events. By focusing on the here and now, many people who practice mindfulness find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past, are less preoccupied with concerns about success and self-esteem and are better able to form deep connections with others.

Mindfulness improves physical health: If greater well-being isn’t enough of an incentive, scientists have discovered that mindfulness techniques help improve physical health in several ways. Mindfulness can help relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, and alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties.

Mindfulness improves mental health: In recent years, psychotherapists have turned to mindfulness meditation as an important element in the treatment of several problems, including depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, couples’ conflicts, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Tips

Several times a day, draw your attention to your breath, body, and mind. Begin by taking a few deep breaths, close your eyes, then tune-in to your body. Feel your lungs expanding and contracting as you breathe in and out. Now listen to the ticking of your heart, and feel the blood rushing through your veins. Be there in the moment with just “yourself”, and fully experience and appreciate who you are right here, right now without any other thoughts, distractions, or judgment.

Beliefs are the core values that provides significance and guidance to our life. They filter our perceptions of the world. When we freely choose to believe something is true, a command is delivered to our spiritual heart (mind) telling us how to represent what we have come to believe to be true. Then the process has been accomplished with DIVINE GRACE, our belief can become our most effective force for creating the positive and good in our lives.

“Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God.”

“God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.”

Mother Teresa

“Prayer and the seed of faith are similar. Both have nothing within, but have the potential of creating everything.”

Sirshree

“Islam suggests living with divinely-ordained nature, not opposed to it.”

Prayer, an act of communication by humans with the sacred or holy – God, the gods, the transcendent realm, or supernatural powers. Found in all religions at all times, prayer may be a corporate or personal act utilizing various forms and techniques.

The necessity for prayer has been taught at all times by all religions, and forms of prayer have been given to their followers. People hold different opinions about prayer. Some maintain that as God knows all their wants, why should they pray? Others wonder if it is alright to pray when God knows what is best for them. Others say that praise is the only prayer, while some even claim that they are God so that for them there is no necessity for prayer. Regarding the latter class of people, it may be said that all the masters and holy ones have taught not only the necessity of prayer, but their own lives have been lives of continual prayer. The following little story gives us an illustration of this.

Abdul Qadir Jilani, a great Sufi saint, was one day engaged in prayer. When in a vision, he saw the semblance of an angel, who addressed him saying, “O thou who hast prayed continuously all thy life, to the God sends the good tidings that no more prayers are required of thee.” The saint, recognizing the tempter, replied, “Begone, thou wicked one, I recognize thee despite thy angelic disguise: thou art a devil come to tempt me. All the holy ones have passed their lives in prayer, and how can I deem myself worthy to be exempt from it?” On hearing these words, the evil one vanished.

To those who ask, “Is it right to pray for our wants?” it may be said that man has always sought to express himself. If for instance, he has conceived some scheme or plan that he wants to carry out, as a rule, he seeks out a capable and trusted friend whose advice he values, to whom he can confide his ideas. Or, if he is in trouble or distress, he goes to a loving and kind friend for sympathy. In both cases, he shows his limitation. If a man with his sense of justice judges himself worthy of that for which he prays, then he is amply justified, regardless of the opinion of the world as to its rightness, and he attracts the answer to his prayer. If a man has agreed to work for a certain sum of money and knows he has worked well and earned it, he feels justified in claiming his money. And so, it is with prayer when a man knows he deserves that for which he prays.

Before praying for the mercy of God, man must first learn to recognize God in all around him, in the care and protection he receives from all. God's mercy shows its hands and eyes everywhere in nature, so man must try to imitate it in his own life. He will then attract to himself the mercy of God.

If our actions are harsh, we naturally attract the wrath of God. To the class of people who claim that they are God, the answer may be given in the words of the Urdu poet, who says, “Man is not God, but man is not apart from God.” One drop cannot call itself the ocean, yet the drop is part of the ocean. Those who lay claim to this should bear witness to it in their lives, and if they can do this, then they will keep silent and not speak one word about it in the presence of others.

There is a necessity for praise in prayer, the praise of the beauty of God, for man must learn to recognize and praise the beauty of God as manifested in all His creation. In this way, he impresses beauty on his soul, and he can manifest it in himself, and he becomes the friend of all and is without prejudice. For this reason, the Sufi cultivates his heart. The emblem of the Sufi is a heart between two wings, meaning that when the heart is cultivated man can soar up into the heights of heaven.

A man who does not believe in prayer, in times of illness seeks a doctor, for no one is self-sufficient. In life, everyone needs kindness, sympathy, and the help of others, however rich or mighty he may be, and this explains the need for prayer. What man cannot do, God can do, and what is done through man, is also done by the command of God. “Not even the weight of one atom is concealed from the Lord,” says the holy Quran.

There is a story that illustrates the need for prayer. A king was once hunting in the forest when he was overtaken by a storm and had to take refuge in the hut of a peasant. The peasant set before the king a simple meal, which he partook of with gratitude. On his departure, he asked the peasant if there was any service that he could render him. The man, not knowing that it was a king who was speaking to him, replied that his needs were simple and that he had all that he required. The king then drew off a ring from his finger, and gave it to the peasant, saying, “Take this ring, and if ever you require anything, bring it to the city and show it to some official, and ask for me.”

Some months later bad times came and famine was rife in the land. The peasant was near starvation when he thought of the ring. He set out for the city, and on arrival there, showed it to an official, who immediately conducted him to the king's presence. When he arrived, he found the king on his knees in prayer. When the king had finished, he rose from his knees and asked the peasant what he could do for him.

The man, who was surprised to find that his friend was the king, and still more surprised to find him on his knees, asked him why he was in that posture. The king replied that he was praying to Allah. The peasant asked, “Who is Allah?” The king replied, “One even higher than myself, the king of kings, and I am asking Him for my own needs and those of my people.”

The peasant on hearing these words said, “If you, the king, have to pray to somebody above you, then why should I not ask Him direct, and not trouble you?”

This story teaches us that every seeming source is a limited one when compared with the real source, the God whose dominion is overall. Prayer has been described in its sublimity as “an intimate friendship, a frequent conversation held alone with the Beloved”, by St. Teresa of Avila, a 16th century Spanish mystic. Prayer is a significant and universal aspect of religion, whether of primitive peoples or of modern mystics, that expresses the broad range of religious feelings and attitudes that command human relations with the sacred or holy.

During the 19th century, when various evolutionary theories were in vogue, prayer was viewed as a stage in the development of religion from a magical to a “higher” stage. Such theories, which saw in prayer no more than a development of magic or incantation, failed to recognize the strictly personal characteristics of prayer.

Though some scholars, such as Costa Guimaraens, a French psychologist in the early 20th century, have attempted to trace prayer back to a biological need, the attempt, on the whole, has been unsuccessful. If sometimes – especially with exceptional subjects or those with fragile nervous systems – the act of prayer is accompanied by corporal phenomena (e.g., bleeding, shaking), such phenomena can accompany it without having provoked it and without explaining its deep inspiration. To analyze normal prayer psychologically, it is especially important to choose normal subjects. Affective sources such as fear, joy, and sadness doubtless play a role in prayer. Such affectations are expressed in prayers recorded in various religions and particularly in the book of Psalms in the Bible, but they do not explain the recourse to prayer itself, which is explained by a motivation deeper than effective elements. The cause and occasion of prayer must not be confused.

Moral sentiments also are integrating elements, but they are accidental to the development of prayer; virtue is not necessarily expressed in the act of praying, because there exist atheists of incontestable morality. Morality is more a consequence than a cause of prayer; and it follows more than it prepares for the development of the religious person.

The psychological explanation has the advantage of probing the subconscious, of describing the various forces that act within the psyche, but the emergence of the subconscious in the act of prayer is not the essence of prayer, since it minimizes the role of intelligence and the will. Among what are called the higher religions (e.g., Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism), divine action, which is the object of the human action of prayer, violates neither human consciousness nor human freedom.

The word ‘mindfulness’

Compassion – “to endure together.” Among emotion researchers, it is defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.

Compassion is not the same as empathy or altruism, though the concepts are related. While empathy refers more generally to our ability to take the perspective of and feel the emotions of another person, compassion is when those feelings and thoughts include the desire to help. Altruism, in turn, is the kind, selfless behavior often prompted by feelings of compassion, though one can feel compassion without acting on it, and altruism isn’t always motivated by compassion.

While cynics may dismiss compassion as touchy-feely or irrational, scientists have started to map the biological basis of compassion, suggesting its deep evolutionary purpose. This research has shown that when we feel compassion, our heart rate slows down, we secrete the “bonding hormone” oxytocin, and regions of the brain linked to empathy, caregiving, and feelings of pleasure light up, which often results in our wanting to approach and care for other people.

The key difference between love and compassion is that love is a deep feeling of affection and attachment towards someone, whereas compassion is a sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. Love and compassion are two positive feelings that help to make the world a better place. We feel compassion for people who are in unfortunate situations (poverty, sickness, etc.), and we feel the desire to help them. Love, however, is an emotion we feel for someone close to us.

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

Mother Teresa

“It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his beauty or perceive a sense of his worth until it has been reflected to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.”

John Joseph Powell

“The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.”

John Green

Compassion is empathy and caring in action. Being open to others enables us to face tough times with creativity and resilience. Empathy enables us to connect with people. It helps us get things done, and to deal with power stress and the sacrifices inherent in leadership.

Compassion gives us the ability to understand someone else's situation and the desire to take action to improve their lives. For people who are dependent on others for help and support, compassion is often the most important factor in allowing them to lead fulfilling lives.

Compassion is the most powerful force in the world. It can defeat indifference, intolerance, and injustice. It can replace judgment with acceptance because it makes no distinction between age, ethnicity, gender, or disability. It freely embraces the rich diversity of humanity by treating everyone as equals. It benefits both those who receive it and those who share it. Every person on earth desires it, and every human being deserves it.

A single act of compassion can change a person’s life forever. Compassion is the bond that unites all of humanity. We each have an endless supply of compassion, and it costs us nothing to share it. We can create a meaningful difference in the world simply by performing one simple act of compassion after another.

Compassion is the greatest gift one human being can share with another. It is impossible to know how many wells can come from a single act of compassion.

Self-compassion is a process of self-kindness and accepting suffering as a quality of being human.

‘Mindfulness’ is paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment without judgment. It creates awareness without judgment in the long and short-term effects of your everyday choices and decisions. Having more choices to life and also includes our making conscious decisions of every little thing we do from moment to moment. It is a day to day existence that gives us understanding into the master plan of life which normally permits us to be really accepting, appreciative and compassionate regardless of what condition we are in.

“Mindfulness, called wise attention, helps us see what we’re adding to our experiences.”

Sharon Salzberg

“This is the real secret of life – to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it to work, realize it is a play.”

Alan Watts

Mindful living is not a destination, it is rather a journey that allows us to slowly but surely blossom our inborn potentials. Being mindful can open a path to the best possible long-term outcome in every situation. It is the ability to stay present at the moment without allowing the mind to get side-tracked. It’s somewhat a state of heightened sensory awareness where you are no longer at the mercy of your habitual thought patterns. You are instead able to see things more clearly and consciously and maximizes the effects of everyday choices and decisions.

Tips:

Several times throughout the day, take some time to consciously experience your environment. Stop and smell your surroundings. Experience each scent as if it was for the very first time. Listen to the sounds of your environment. What specific sounds do you hear? Maybe you hear the ticking of a clock, the traffic from the street, people speaking, the chirping of a bird, the rustle of the wind blowing through the trees, or a faint piece of music playing in the distance. No matter what it is you smell or hear, fully experience it and be there with it at the moment. Let nothing else distract you. Instead, just allow these smells and sounds to captivate your entire being right here, right now, for moments at a time.

Aspects of mindful living

⸎ Breathing – Control over the body, feel every breath

⸎ Yoga – Basic method of healing

⸎ Meditation - Control over stress, improve will-power

⸎ Belief system – Control on the mind, more proactive

⸎ Prayer – Connection, peace

⸎ Compassion – Basic morality, empathy