Effects of Breathing on Cardiac and Breathing Rhythms

Several scientists from the Institute of HeartMath recently discovered, in 2012, that conscious breathing induces the person to enter a state of "psychophysiological coherence" in which breathing, heart rate and blood pressure become rhythmically regular. This, consequently, produces a well-being in the person, at the mental level (peace, tranquility, joy) and at the physical level he begins to heal any discomfort he has.

These scientists also discovered that, in the presence of states of peace, tranquility and joy, DNA structures relax and healing occurs at the molecular level and on the contrary, in the presence of states of anxiety, stress, restlessness, anger or anger , anguish and fears, DNA structures contract and disease occurs.

In the course of the breathing workshop, several scientific discoveries are made known that help to understand what about 15 years ago was considered a miracle for those who practiced breathing and healed.

In general, the main benefit for people who practice conscious breathing is a better mental and physical state. These people will be healthier, precisely because they have a state of psychophysiological coherence most of the time, a necessary requirement to stay healthy over time.

It is necessary to understand that the origin of the diseases is in the subconscious mind that accumulates negative behavior patterns and that in the long run they manifest physically. With conscious breathing, these negative patterns can be dissolved and the root of the disease is eliminated. In many cases, the probability of a disease manifesting before it becomes conscious is eliminated. This is considered as the greatest benefit of the Conscious Breathing practice.

Conscious breathing consists of first learning what is the correct form of breathing, which is abdominal breathing; the habit of performing a shallow breath that is limited to loading the upper part of the chest without supplying oxygen to the lower part of the lungs must be reversed. In the course it is possible to understand in an experiential way that it is not only air and oxygen that enters the lungs but also energy, which is distributed to the body much more efficiently and in greater quantities if abdominal breathing is performed.

Abdominal breathing involves the muscles of the abdomen to breathe leaving aside the contraction and expansion of the thorax. In this way, the capacity of air and energy absorption in the body is greatly increased.

Secondly, when abdominal breathing is performed, several different techniques can be performed to start purifying the body with the energy that is accumulated due to a much more efficient and energetic breathing.

Everyone can practice Conscious Breathing. In fact, young children breathe correctly, but over time, due to various adverse factors, they lose that ability to breathe properly and therefore it is very good that they can become aware at school about the correct way to breathe. This way they can have a much healthier life since childhood.

Just keep in mind that children up to approximately 13 years are like sponges and absorb a lot of the environment, so it is not recommended that they practice breathing with unknown people or with groups of adults. Children should have courses aimed exclusively for groups of children or close relatives with children.

Spiritual Heart Meditation

There are four basic principles in spiritual development. 1) The fact that there is a supreme reality, that is, an existence that encompasses everything and is universal. 2) The nature of that supreme reality is consciousness. 3) The existence of a Supreme Being. 4) This Being can be revealed with the practice of meditation. It is not theory.

There is an identity between the Supreme Being and the Supreme Reality, it is said: "I am that Supreme Consciousness" (Tot Ma Basi in Sanskrit, which means "You are that" or in the Christian religion it is said "I Am", "I I am who I am ”).

With meditation we come to discover that light within us, and that light is present everywhere. So, when some people say "I am God," they are referring to the essence of each one of us.

If we analyze a little, people define God as a limited being with certain very good qualities but ultimately all these qualities are limiting since God is the Supreme reality, it is the whole existence that encompasses everything including us.

An Indian meditator named Satchi Ananda defines God as pure existence, pure consciousness, pure ecstasy. It refers to the consciousness acquired as ecstasy radiating from this same universal consciousness. The meditator ceases to be one to be part of the whole. Then he becomes an individual again but not the same as before. Come back with the experience and wisdom of God.

Then, from a practical point of view, with meditation you learn to observe objects without attachment or aversion. With this, our life changes, we live life consciously in the present. We feel free in the sense that we are not slaves of attachment to objects and / or aversions of negative things or situations.

We are more aware and therefore more receptive to what happens within us, being able to experience at any moment (if we continue practicing meditation), the Supreme Being that we are in essence. Commonly called "Spiritual Heart" since this radiant light of God is in the chest area coming from another plane of consciousness. While we meditate, we are without thoughts, with a very calm body, we focus on the chest area and ask ourselves “who am I?”. In this way, we are directing our energy or attention to that Supreme Being. Eventually it is revealed and we continue to meditate on another level of consciousness.

The meditation of the Spiritual Heart helps you discover that Great Secret, the secret that every aspirant of the spiritual path seeks, the secret that there is no secret. It is so obvious, it is with us at all times and everywhere but we have not stopped our mind to simply observe and recognize who we really are. It is truly something so simple, but surprisingly almost impossible for the vast majority of people who inhabit this planet. The world of mind with its attachments and aversions has enslaved them. This state of the Supreme Being cannot be achieved, taken or obtained, it can only be revealed. San Juan de la Cruz defines it as "Nada Nada".

Rumi, a Sufi philosopher said that only the beauty that lasts is that coming from the spiritual heart. A Christian philosopher called it the "temple of the Heart and altar of God" and St. Augustine defined it as "the most intimate of me." In Chinese medicine it is called the "Royal organ." In India there are different types of yoga, among them is Bakti yoga, which refers to the path of devotion or divine love. You work hard with your heart. In this case Rama Krishna said that all spiritual paths take you to the house of God, but Bakti yoga takes you to the bedroom of God. ”

There is a Christian order in Egypt called "The Fathers of the Desert" who, following the example of St. John the Baptist, perform meditation practices to discover directly "the Intellect of the Heart." They speak of "Nipsis" which means the conscious state without thoughts that is the guardian of the Heart. It can be searched as "Filocalia de los Padres de Niptic", it means "those who practice the consciousness of the heart".

Some define the Spiritual Heart as an "organ of knowledge of our interiority", to the extent that "we polish the mirror of the Heart." The heart is seen as a tool to reveal the true essence, our true nature. The spiritual path begins with the mind and ends with the Spiritual Heart. From a relative point of existence to the experience of absolute reality.

Again, returning to the practice of meditation of the Spiritual Heart, wisdom develops, revelation. Simply meditating, being in that state of attentive consciousness, connected with the spiritual Heart.

Concentration and Meditation

You may have noticed that the body's energy flows naturally when the ordinary mind is silent. Just as the physical body is nourished by oxygen when breathing, so the energy body is nourished by energy when we breathe. There is a natural cycle in which energy circulates through us parallel to physical respiration. When the mind generates negative thoughts and beliefs, it conditions the free energy, accumulating in certain parts of our energy body, creating blockages and / or imbalances in the normal energy flow of our body, causing that energy to crystallize and causing discomfort at the level physical. Depending on the type of thought and belief one has, a certain part of the physical body will be affected. The mind and body are a face of the same coin. They are directly interconnected. One affects the other and vice versa.

By meditating, we silence the mind by causing the energy to begin to flow again naturally and this helps to unlock and balance the energy of the whole body. As a consequence, stagnant or crystallized energy is released in the form of sensations and we begin to heal any type of disease that could be managed. In this way, if we continue to meditate “correctly” throughout our lives, we will have better body health and mental well-being.

Actually, with the practice of concentration so far, it is not that we are left without thinking, but that with the willpower, we are pushing the thoughts aside, these continue but pass to a subconscious level and gradually manifest themselves in the form of sensations. The strongest thoughts come in stronger sensations, accompanied by other patterns of subconscious thoughts, since they are interrelated, like a skein, they do not come out one by one, but as groups. Like when they take out a plant with roots from a pond, which is dragging other plants and other roots and removing them all as they pull, something like that.

Then, if we manage to remain without thinking, thanks to our willpower, the mind will impose itself with a greater force and will want to make its thinking prevail. Otherwise, if you can't, you will manifest it as a bodily sensation. But somehow he will do it. The difference is that if it does it as a thought, it grabs our energy and takes control of our energy field by feeding that thought with more energy, but if it does so through bodily sensations, it releases the energy that each thought contained in the form of sensation and so that energy will already be available for our conscious use. We can use it to try harder. You will have realized that this is like a fight.

So, it is better to keep the mind still without conscious thoughts, so that it is forced to release that stagnant energy in the subconscious in the form of bodily sensations. This released energy will give us more strength and ability to stand firm in our concentration and so, little by little we will be cleaning our subconscious, while becoming more aware of how our mind works.

Vipassana Meditation

This vipassana meditation course has been developed based on the combination of two teaching currents: the meditation experiences of more than 40 10-day courses and several 30 and 45-day vipassana meditation courses as taught by S.N. Goenka in India and on the other hand, the experiences of the Mahasi tradition retreats, taught by Sadayaw U. Pandita in Burma and Nepal. Many tests have been done undergoing different techniques in different situations with different people to achieve a much more efficient course in terms of results for the beneficiaries of this retreat.

This retreat is also complemented at the end with the technique of Metta or sharing Love and Compassion as taught by Tich Thach Nhat, of the Theravada tradition in Vietman, followed by the practice of revelation of the Supreme Being or Spiritual Heart, based on the teachings of Ramana Maharshi of India.

This course is organized to achieve an optimal result in 10 days, assuming that participants will follow all instructions to the letter, with effort and continuity in practice.

This course starts with concentration exercises. The focus on the area of ​​the nostrils observing the breath to induce a state of introspection. This practice is done with eyes closed in sitting position with crossed legs. An initial process of purification of the mind is generated, as well as intensive training to develop the ability of concentration.

Later, on the third day, the Vipassana technique begins, scanning the body on its surface, observing bodily sensations. In addition, they are taught to meditate walking, observing bodily sensations mainly in the legs. On this day and subsequent ones, they are taught the different facets of a correct meditation and learn to build a meditation session advancing in the introspection and revelation of the impermanence nature of the objects.

On the sixth day, in addition to the practice of vipassana sitting and walking, participants are instructed to notice all objects for as long as they get up until they fall asleep. In addition, they are requested that walking meditation be slower and with greater concentration effort.

On the ninth day the practice of Metta is performed, a guided meditation to activate unconditional love and follow the purification process through forgiveness and love. The practice of revelation of the spiritual heart is carried out in which an even deeper process of purification begins within the context of the 10-day retreat.