Prana प्राण

Your breath will catch you.

What a beautiful thought.

To slow your heart rate down focus on your intake and less your exhale. When you find yourself in stressful situations, take a breath. It is there for you. always. Massaging your organs as you go through life- really.

Maybe that is what keeps our bodies going- the constant massage it gets from our breath. Laying on my stomach in Savasana our instructor suggested we let our breath go into our belly letting it message our lower back. WOW. It really does. It isn't an obvious- I am going for a massage feeling where someone is rubbing on your stiff spots- but rather a gentle affirmation of our capable body. I carry my life in this body.

In the Beginner Bikram Class there are 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises all in 90minutes. The two breathing exercises are the called 'Pranayama Series' done at the very beginning of class and then the 'Khapalbhati' which is the last pose. These are all beginner postures designed not to intimidate but rather to be accessible. I have read that some people can take one deep inhale and one exhale per asana. HA! I am definitely a beginner on this journey.

A grown man cried in class today. He was so upset because his back hurt. It hurt and he wanted it to heal. He wanted it to be better. We all want it to be better. Whatever it is, we must keep at it. Yoga is a motherwound. Keep breathing.