October 17, 2007
In this issue you will find:
Eternal Breath, A Biography of Leonard Orr
Better Breathing Tip #2 ~Breathing and Emotions
Breath Awareness Practice
Links to Important Pages on our site
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Eternal Breath
a New Biography of Leonard Orr
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Pola Churchill has released her latest book: Eternal Breath, A Biography of Leonard Orr, Founder of Rebirthing Breathwork.
This has got to be a truly amazing story. Leonard Orr discovered Conscious Breathing - Rebirthing in the early 60's and perfected the technique in 1974. He has since then dedicated his time to traveling the world, teaching the technique and assisting Practitoners to set up training centers. It is estimated that over 10 million people world wide have experienced Conscious Breathing. I know that Pola has worked closely with Leonard Orr to finish this book. I have heard rave reviews about it, and I just ordered my copy today!
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Better Breathing Tip #2
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Breathing and Emotions
Last month we learned about nose breathing vs. mouth breathing. To read last month's Newsletter, visit our Archives page here:
http://www.learn-to-breathe-energy.com/The_Learn_to_Breathe_Energy_Newsletter-backissues.html
This month we are discussing Breathing and Emotions.
Our Breath and our emotions are unavoidably connected. It is such a simple thing, and so easily taken for granted. Often we do not notice our breathing while we are in an emotion. Whether it be an upset, greif, anger, joy, or intense laughter, our breath has a direct relationship to the emotion.
Emotions are essentially, energy in motion. They are waves of energy moving through our bodies, that we have labeled and identified as various feelings.
As we breathe connectedly, our breath will uncover suppressed emotions and release the blocked emotional energy. Sometimes we have suppressed our sadness and we need to cry. Sometimes we have been too serious, suppressing our joy, and we need to laugh. The important thing to remember, when it comes to Conscious Breathing and emotions, is to keep breathing connectedly as we move through the emotional energy.
Ironically, most people hold their breath to avoid feeling an unwanted emotion. But as soon as we start to hold our breath, we have capped off our experience, and remain stuck or suppressed in the emotion, perpetuating it even longer.
Have you ever been so angry that you stopped breathing? The kind of 'arms crossed, stopped speaking, nothing but 'glaring' angry? Are you breathing in that moment? Most likely not!
We hold our breath when we are angry because we are resisting a situation we do not like. By holding our breath, we unconsciously think we are putting the unwanted experience at bay. We are suppressing it, because we think that is safer.
But suppressed emotional energies hang out in the body, causing all kinds of disease and havoc. Suppressed emotions dominate our thoughts, our activities, our self-image and world-image, our choices, and our behaviours, usually without us even knowing it, until they are met with our Breath, and our conscious, loving awareness.
Many people feel overwhelmed by their emotions. But Conscious Breathing offers a way to be with them, and let the energy move without forever feelng consumed by them. Conscious Breathing allows the lifeforce energy to flow through the body and 'unclog' any suppressed emotions.
Think of it this way; when we describe someone who has been emotionally hurt, and is harboring it, we describe them as being hardened, shut down, closed off, or disconnected. By avoiding the emotional pain, or by hanging onto it, this person has temporarially locked themselves into that emotional state. Breathing can open this up. Conscious Breathing - Rebirthing opens the floodgates, and lets the waters of life move.
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Breath Awareness Practice
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1. Notice your breathing while you are having an emotion.
2. It's that simple. -Notice your breathing while you are having an emotion.
3. When you notice you are holding your breath, take a deep breath. It may feel impossible at times, but you can do it.
---- breathe ---
4. So that you do not have a difficult time remembering, write the word 'breathe' on post-it notes, and stick them in areas of your living space that you frequntley see.
---- breathe ---
5. Observe your experience. What emotions are you feeling when it is hardest to breathe? What emotional state are you in when you can breathe more freely?
~Enjoy!
Breathing is elemental to having a healthy, happy, living body. By identifying your own inhibited breathing habits you can begin a healing process that will benefit you for the rest of your life!
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Important Links to Our Site
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May you Be Blessed,
Sara Dawn
Webmaster
Learn-to-breathe-energy.com