The Importance of Breathing
NOT only in our present day but from time immemorial, the wise, awakened to their better self, have attempted to fathom the secret of life and in their anxiety for the truth, delved into the very bosom of nature with the purpose in view of finding a key with which to unlock the mystery of man’s destiny. The more observant we become, profiting by the experiences gained and applying them to the conditions of our being as we follow the course of investigation, the more readily we shall perceive that life and manifestation of life is a continuous perpetuity of inspirational revelation or inbreathing and outbreathing, involution and evolution.
The more we get an understanding of the power of breath and its importance in the perpetuation of one’s own species, the sooner we shall become conscious of a factor that decides our happiness and our woes in accordance to the power or ability of directing vibrations. The peculiarities of individuals may be determined by the lengths and depths of the breaths taken, as well as by the attitude of the body when breathing. Thus even the life of the manifesting existence or length of days, may be determined by one’s breath and breathing. Not the size or weight of a body or its muscles decide the ability of being, but the activity of the functions.
The Influence of Breath
When effort is being made to breathe, the heart may be forced to greater action in the distribution of the blood, but it will in no wise regulate the circulation. When attention to breathing be paid, but the attitude of body abnormal, the process of purification and better circulation may be insured to the degree that attention is being given, but the distribution of the blood by heart action will be retarded because of insufficient generation of electric fluid. The more rythmic the breath, the more regular the operations of our organic functions. If we breathe rapidly and short, we are apt to entertain ideas of a drifting and uncertain tendency. The more we continue in that direction, the more fear and helplessness we manifest. While if we take a few well-drawn breaths, we find the heart beating more regularly, while our mind condition becomes calmer and our ideas more resolute in character.be forced to greater action in the distribution of the blood, but it will in no wise regulate the circulation. When attention to breathing be paid, but the attitude of body abnormal, the process of purification and better circulation may be insured to the degree that attention is being given, but the distribution of the blood by heart action will be retarded because of insufficient generation of electric fluid. The more rythmic the breath, the more regular the operations of our organic functions. If we breathe rapidly and short, we are apt to entertain ideas of a drifting and uncertain tendency. The more we continue in that direction, the more fear and helplessness we manifest. While if we take a few well-drawn breaths, we find the heart beating more regularly, while our mind condition becomes calmer and our ideas more resolute in character.
Breath Capacity More Desirable than Muscular Development
Form and symmetry are requisite towards enjoyment of healthful conditions. When the breath capacity becomes equal to brain expansion, the nervous system thus perpetuative in the generation of electric fluids, there will be no necessity of paying particular attention to the development of muscles, because, by manual labor to which all bodies are called, they will, by virtue of constant activity, keep within their respective positions and respond to the desire of the mind in accordance to the control of the nervous system. Not muscles but nerves decide the success of being. If muscles were the desired end then an elephant, who is all muscle, ought to be the brainiest of all the animal creation. Then the athlete and the gymnast would take a lead in intellectual pursuits rather than in mere sport and prize fighting. No, not muscle but nerves is what our age demands of us and needs.
To Gain Control Over the Nervous System
To enjoy more healthful conditions, we need to pay attention to the nervous system upon whose activity and generation of electric fluids, the control of organic functions depends. To gain this end, we must learn to pay attention to our breathing, to regulate the breath and to keep up the lung activity rather than the mere expansion of muscles. Breath capacity, when rythmic in its operation, controls the nerve action by virtue of a better established circulation of the blood and regular heart action. The brain becoming more expansive or vibratory increases mind control whereby the intelligencies composing the collective energies of our organized body, respond towards organic action, establishing an equilibrium between the functions of excentred manifestation. We may have a large brain but where the breath capacity is limited, the brain can no longer manifest clearness of mind. An intelligent appearing forehead may manifest a very dull understanding, and does not prove intelligence, as a cow evidently has a high forehead, too, but breathing entirely peculiar to its species, its system vibrates insufficiently towards intellectual development. A small brain may prove of greater value when the breath capacity can be established so direct action can take place. Thus small brains by virtue of their perpetuative action may be most comprehensive and studious. The action of the brain depends largely upon the condition of the nervous system and this again upon the normal condition of the blood, the latter again upon breathing. Thus if we become more attentive to breathing, we naturally will enjoy a more concentrative mind, which insures us greater control over the conditions and environments of time. Breath and breathing decides our peculiarities in character, and the latter the form of manifestation.in character, and the latter the form of manifestation.
The Breaths of the Animal Domain
Passing through the various phases of animal creation, we shall find that each animal breathes. But the way of breathing is peculiar to each animal in just the same manner as the kind and species conditions its own substantiality, the horse breathes entirely different from the cow, in another way the dog, somewhat different, a cat; in fact, every four-footed animal manifests a breathing that characterizes its own kind, although the breathing does not consist of anything else but the inhaling and the exhaling of breath or air, by which the substance necessary to an animal’s peculiar life is absorbed, while the matter useless to its individual nature is immediately removed by virtue of the reactive current or expiration. But the manner or process of inversion and conversion differs widely in the one and the other. It is of vital importance to the peculiarity of one’s species as to how the air is drawn into the system, how the distribution is immediately after distributed and directed, and how instantanteously the useless matter is expelled or exhaled. Herein lies a secret which to fathom and understand and define as well as analyze to our senses, offers an unlimited field of interesting study.
The Breath of Cold-Blooded and Bloodless Animals
The amphibia, the worms, and the insects breathe also, but how very different is the breathing of the species of these cold-blooded and even bloodless animals. For insects have no blood proper, but merely a juice or fluid suitable, to the perpetuation of their nature, and resulting from motion into inverting and converting action, thereby generating electricity necessary to such animal life, and which develops in the respective receptacles of the animals’ peculiar construction. Entirely different again is the breathing of animals living in the water, and as there are exceedingly many animals in the water, differing as to kinds, variety and species, we must take into consideration that the breathing is just as heterogeneous as the diversity of the animals themselves.ing action, thereby generating electricity necessary to such animal life, and which develops in the respective receptacles of the animals’ peculiar construction. Entirely different again is the breathing of animals living in the water, and as there are exceedingly many animals in the water, differing as to kinds, variety and species, we must take into consideration that the breathing is just as heterogeneous as the diversity of the animals themselves.
As long as we do not understand the necessity of breathing, and why breathing is absolutely necessary to the existence of things, it would be of no use to anybody to inquire as to whether and how things breathe, for the reason that breathing is an act imperceptible to the sense of sight. But as soon as we gain an understanding of the fact, why breathing becomes essential to existence, then the questions as to whether and how become self-evident and answered to a degree, for it is more difficult to realize the necessity, than the questions of whether and how do the animals breathe.
From Mazdaznan Magazine 1902 Aug. p.19.
Photo Credits: © drubig-photo - stock.adobe.com