Let’s face it: breathing is essential. We cannot live on this earth without breathing. As humans we may be different in many ways, but the one thing that unites us is our breathing. Most of the time we pay little attention to this common activity. Singers and respiratory therapists would be notable exceptions. But breathing doesn’t stop for lack of notice.
In a number of ways, breathing has drawn my attention as I prepare for my sabbatical pilgrimage. First, I had begun noticing that my balance was not as good as it used to be; after all, it is helpful to keep one’s balance while crossing creeks on the stones provided. I heard somewhere that the practice of Tai Chi improves balance, so I signed up for a class. More than a year later, I still feel like a fumbling beginner at the choreographed movements of Tai Chi itself. You should see me wobble on the kicks which still take me by surprise. But each class begins with 18 exercises called Qi Gong and which are the building blocks of Tai Chi. These “postures” are simple enough for me to have memorized and practice each day. Besides shifting weight and noticing balance, all the exercises match relaxed, deep breathing to movements of up and down, turning and returning, stretching and rest, in and out.
I think it may have been the focused breathing in Qi Gong that started me noticing how I breathe (often not that well) when I hike up steep hills. There had to be a better alternative to climbing until my muscles were burning and I was gasping for air and my heart was pounding. So I started trying to breathe more deeply along with a steady walking pace. Counting each time the right foot takes a step, I discovered that a comfortable pace for me is 4-4: four steps for breathing in and four steps for breathing out. As a climb gets steeper, the breaths come more quickly, of course, like down-shifting in a car. How quickly I down-shift to the lower breathing pace of 4-3, 3-3, 3-2, etc., depends on what sort of physical shape I’m in. (After a long, hard winter, the verdict is I’m not in great shape.) I searched on line to see if I could find any information about hikers and breathing, and, sure enough, there were a number of articles about matching breath to pace like I was doing, as well as using a paced rest step instead of stopping, and incorporating more efficient and healthy ways to get to the top of that mountain. What a fun discovery! And breathing is the key. Virginia mountains, here I come.
But hiking is not the only part of this pilgrimage—it is just the very real and visible part. Prayer and reading the Psalms are the true core of this journey. And guess what? I am discovering that breathing is a core component underlying these two practices as well. More on that in another post.
But meanwhile here is another perspective of breathing, “Breathe In Breathe Out,” by a favorite artist, Carrie Newcomer:
Dee Carroll says
Where do you take Tai Chi lessons? My husband and I would like to learn the Qi Gong exercises. The only place we know of is on the East Shore, off of Progress Avenue.
Elaine Dent says
I’ll send you a link via email.
Kathy Calhoun says
Could u share the link with me also?
Elaine says
yes!