Slow Breathing Goes By Another Name — Prayer
Prayer has its roots in every culture and tradition but what often gets missed is the need for a controlled breath
I used to think praying was for losers. Desperate people pleading to a man in the sky who never listened.
Today I see it in a different way.
It’s an act of integrity, perhaps. Or a way of setting an intention, having a moment of humility, or creating an opportunity to slow the breath down and still the mind.
This turnaround happened years ago when I was training to become a Kundalini yoga teacher. During those three months, I felt the power of prayer and the presence of spirit through movement and chanting.
It re-programmed my mind to see prayer as something other than a religious act. It became a place where I could connect with the divine and commune with spirit and both transcended the religious dogma I had long dismissed.
Helping the breath find its voice
Chanting is one of my favourite ways to pray.
For reasons still unknown, however, it’s easier to make a sound longer than it is to breathe out normally. So, we can make sounds or tones to prolong our exhales.
