At its grossest manifestation, breathing involves the movement of muscles to transport air in and out of the body. Even at this level, the effects of how we breath extend to the heart and lungs. Beyond this, breathing occurs at the cellular level, as the functions of the nose, trachea, and lungs act together to transport oxygen from the air we breath in to our cells.

While breathing is an involuntary act, one in which we do not have to think to make happen, it can also be a voluntary act, with specific efforts affecting how we breath. As air enters the body, it eventually flows to the lunges and expands the chest. The diaphram is a muscle that divides the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. Its resting position is like a dome shape, yet when we breath deeply, the dome flattens to create more room in the chest cavity, and thus pushes out the abdominal area. Breathing this way is often called “belly breathing” or “diaphramic breathing” and allows for a deeper, slower breath that brings more oxygen in our body.

In the next part of this series, we will discuss techniques for breath awareness. Please post and comments of questions below, and we’ll try to address it as we go along!