“Remember to breathe. It is after all, the secret of life”…Gregory Maguire
Take a deep breath. Did your shoulders and/or neck move? Do you feel taller when you breathe? If so, you’re doing what experts call vertical breathing, and it could be contributing to a number of unhealthy conditions.
It is estimated that nine out of 10 people are vertical breathers. The act of taking short, shallow breaths, all day, every day seems innocent, but the truth is:
- It tells your nervous system you are under stress – fight or flight mode
- It increases the release of cortisol in your system – stress hormone
- It suppresses your immune system – causing illness
- Increases your blood pressure
- Your body is straining to take every breath
The diaphragm is the body’s main muscle to assist in proper breathing. When we use the muscles of the shoulders and neck to pull the thoracic cavity (ribs, heart and lungs) up and down thousands of times a day, tension and pain can easily develop.
When we respond to stressful situations, the body’s natural reflex action is to stiffen or brace itself. This stress can come when we are writing an important email, public speaking, or any other life event that commands our complete attention. This causes us to be in a deep state of focus, and completely unaware that our neck and shoulders are tensing up and directing the body to vertically breathe.
“For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth”…Sanskrit Proverb
Have you ever noticed when a baby inhales, how their belly inflates like a balloon? It seems so effortless. This is what is known as diaphragmatic breathing. It may seem foreign to us now, but it is the way our body was designed to breathe. Somewhere along the line though, we stopped utilizing this technique. But, our body, our soul remembers how to properly breathe. We just need to practice and make this a routine. Diaphragmatic breathing has many benefits to include:
- Improved sleep – fall asleep faster and easier
- Improved digestion and relief from digestive issues such as IBS and acid reflux
- Could help relieve back pain as the abdominal muscles stretch and strengthen
- Oxygen level in the body balances with the brain to perform at optimal efficiency
In Sanskit, Pranayama is considered the Science of Breath. Prana is the life force that permeates our beings. Breathing deeply helps us become more aware, more intuitive, more alert, calmer, and have more integration of body, mind and spirit. It is a deep massage for internal organs and helps supply proper nutrients to all parts of the body. Inhaling through the nose helps filter out particulates and has a more direct effect to stimulate the brain. By repressing our breathing, we can actually repress feelings.
The mind helps control the breath, which helps control blood flow. Breathing more deeply then, causes energy to rise and increases our sensory perception. Our breath is unique and an intimate part of each of us. We choose to put consciousness into it or we don’t. When we choose to do so, that breath, being our own, becomes a place within us that no one can alter.
Therapeutic grade essential oils are powerful tools for healing the mind, body and spirit. They are God’s gift to us for healing naturally. Each oil has a unique intelligence to perform a specific task in our body. When we add proper diaphragmatic breathing to the inhalation of therapeutic grade essential oils, the results are nothing less than profound.
This level of healing can and is being accomplished with one or more intense sessions of aromatherapy inside the AromaDome tent. Sessions are designed specifically with YOU in mind, and what particular circumstance you are facing today.
Deep breathing with the healing power of essential oils is healing the body on every level … and at the cellular level. Two powerful tools have been brought together for one amazing, healing technique. These sessions can help you:
- Improve diaphragmatic breathing
- Increase oxygenation in the body for improved energy and healing
- Increase relaxation and reduce cortisol levels
- Absorb therapeutic grade essential oils and heal the body naturally at the cellular level
- Open the Pineal Gland to improve sleep and plan your future
- Release stored fear and trauma from the limbic region of the brain
- Turn your thoughts inward to focus on healing your Mind, Body and Spirit
When we slow the chaos in our life down, practice proper diaphragmatic breathing and schedule one or two healing sessions in the AromaDome, we truly can begin to heal the body and balance the soul.
“When you have no idea how to surrender and you’re tied up in knots, JUST BREATHE! “ …Judith Orloff, MD