When we are born, the very first thing we do is take in a breath, inviting Life force to fill our bodies and feed our vital organs. Breath is Life itself. Our bodies receive vitality via the lungs, and we rid ourselves of toxins via the lungs.

The act of inhaling is the act of receiving. The act of conceiving is also an act of receiving. We open ourselves to Life in both circumstances we are trusting that we will be supported.

When women undergo infertility, that trust is shattered. Our bodies don’t support our desire to get pregnant, or in many cases, we are able to get pregnant, but are unable to physically and energetically hold that pregnancy and we miscarry. We then suffer grief for the loss of a basic biological right; the right to have our own children naturally. When we lose this Mind Body Connection, we become fragmented. We internalize and hold this grief in our bodies and the stress cycle begins. Infertility creates stress levels equivalent to those diagnosed with cancer. When stress is present everything begins to tighten as we try to maintain control, of our bodies, our relationships, our finances and our feelings. We are afraid to breathe, because if we can take in a deep breath the floodgates will open and all of our fear, sadness, desire and grief will come pouring out. So we hold our breath, and in doing so, we actually hurt our chances to conceive. Why? Because if we don’t breathe we die literally and figuratively. Deep breathing helps us to heal the body from the inside out, physiologically, metaphysically and psychologically.

The practice of breathing deeply is trusting that Life with support us. The inhale represents the birth of a new moment, and every exhale, the death of that moment. In this space, between the breaths, it is believed to be the wellspring of all knowledge, the positive to touch the Divine and its profound stillness. This is the natural cycle of life. Inhale, pause, exhale, pause. Tuning into the rhythm of life regenerates us. When we can bring our mind, our body and our breath into alignment we are free. Free from future worries and free from past regrets. The breath is a way to bring us fully to the present moment. For students who are new to yoga, it is important to give you something to focus on during your breathing to train your mind. The mantra “BE HERE NOW” for inhale and “NOW BE HERE” for exhale. You will be surprised how many thoughts try to creep their way in between those two sentences. Revealing to you how fragmented our thoughts really are. This in yoga is called the “Monkey Mind”- our heads become full of our thoughts and we enter the space of “being in our thoughts and head”.

Who is Breathing?

Eventually as you learn to breath consciously, the monkey mind will take a back seat to the observer. The observer is the one who is watching you breath. It can be called pure awareness or in Sanskrit “Atman”. Learning to sit in observation without attachment is the most powerful tool you can use during your reproductive difficulties.

It helps to teach you respond instead of react to the events around you, and allow you some “breathing room”

Breathing Awareness Exercise:

Play with your breath. Notice how your breathing impacts your emotions. Notice how your emotions impact your breath. How do you breathe when you are Angry? Tired? Sad? Scared?

1. Breath deeply for one minute and write what you notice:

 

2. Breathe shallowly for one minute and write what you notice:

 

3. Don’t breathe for one minute and write what you notice:

 

4. List 3 emotions you might be feeling if your breath is deep:
a)

b)

c)

 

5. List 3 emotions you might be feeling if your breath is shallow:
a)

b)

c)

 

6. List 3 emotions you might be feeling if you are holding your breath:
a)

b)

c)

 

What are the emotional characteristics of an inhale?

 

What the emotional chacteristics of an exhale?

 

Exercise:
Sit in a comfortable position. Hold your hand in front of your mouth as if it is a mirror. Like you are cleaning your sunglasses. Take a deep breath in through your nose and then exhale through your mouth onto your hand making a “Haa” sound, as if you are fogging up the mirror. Try this a few times.

Now try the same breath, but this time close your mouth on your exhale, still making the Haa sound. Now it becomes a low, soft oceanic sound in the back of your throat. Try to breathe the same way in through your nose and out through your nose making this “Haa” sound. Practice until you inhale and exhale smoothly.

Ujayi breath:

• Builds heat in our body called tapas, detoxifies and cleanses our energy channels called nadis or meridians and also cleanses our mind/body and spirit.
• Ujayi vibration is localized in the throat near the soft palate. Just behind this area is the master fertility gland our hypothalamus. This subtle vibration stimulates and promotes blood flow to this important endocrine gland.
• Brings us into the present moment.