ハガーマガーさんのインスタグラム写真 - (ハガーマガーInstagram)「Every living being breathes. This includes all animals—even single-celled ones—and all plant life. Human beings take an average of 23,000 breaths each day. Our breath is, quite literally, the most important physiological function keeping us alive. How we breathe—the rhythm, depth, rate, etc.—directly affects our nervous system. It is a key factor in maintaining health throughout our lives. Breathing is so important that it is the only physiological process that we can control. But it also happens all day long, every day, without our having to think about it. Pranayama, the fourth limb of yoga, is the practice of refining our breathing to support body-mind balance. . In the eight-limbed system, pranayama sits at the intersection between the more worldly, physical practices and those that develop the mind. The way we breathe affects our state of mind, and also is indicative of our state of mind. When we are in a state of calm, our breathing is usually slow and even. When we are agitated, our breathing is often shallow or rough. Intentionally deepening and slowing our breath can begin to calm an agitated mind. . The word pranayama comes from two Sanskrit words: prana (life force) and ayama (expansion). Many of the pranayama practices aim to control the flow of the breath, and to bring balance to the body and mind through calming, energizing, heating and cooling the nervous system. Because breathing is so intimately integrated with the nervous system and our mental state, pranayama is a very powerful practice. It’s so powerful that it’s important to work with an experienced teacher in order to ensure that your practice is healthy and safe.」8月15日 3時07分