The breath is not only a source of support for the physical body; it is also a support for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the breath are easily understood in the context of traditional Tibetan language and philosophy, where the air element is central to all of life—including all of our physical, mental, and spiritual experiences.
In the Tibetan Buddhist teachings, the element of air and the breath are tied together through the word lung (Tib. rlung), which is embedded with several layers of meaning. Lung describes not only the breath, the movement of air we call wind, and the basic atmosphere around us, but it has the additional meaning of “wind energy.” From the point of view of Tibetan medicine, physiology, and the practice of meditation, the physical body is permeated by five types of wind energy, which support the body’s most basic functions, such as circulation, digestion, and excretion. Therefore, according to Tibetan medicine, the breath is part of an intricate system of wind energy that regulates and supports the body’s health. For this reason, we often use the words breath and wind energy interchangeably. However, while the breath is one form of wind energy, referring to wind energy speaks to our entire bodily system, and all of its physical, mental, and emotional components. Tibetan medicine tells us that when all the wind energy is in balance, all of the body’s basic systems work efficiently and we feel healthy.
Although there are some differences in the style of explanation, the results of imbalanced wind energy are very similar to the explanations given by Western medical science. From the point of view of Tibetan medicine and physiology, when wind energy becomes too excessive and builds up in the upper part of the lungs, as occurs during thoracic breathing, this can result in a condition called nying lung (Tib. snying rlung), literally “heart-wind.” When we experience nying lung, the wind energy in the region around the heart and lungs has become too strong and too agitated.
Heart-wind has mental and emotional effects as well as physical ones. When we experience heart-wind, the region around the heart can feel agitated and fiery, especially inside the rib cage, making us feel impulsive, agitated, and short-tempered. The excessive energy of heart-wind can manifest in different ways. The agitation and volatility of heart-wind can lead to anxiety and restlessness. Or, if experienced over a long period of time, the chest and lungs can feel energetically heavy and may cause feelings of depression. The manifestation of heart-wind depends on the temperament and disposition of the person, as well as what the sensation of heart-wind feels like in the body.
Tibetan medicine sees heart-wind as the basis for all kinds of systemic imbalances. In terms of our bodily health, the medical tantras state that it is a source of pulmonary and cardiac disorders such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and heart attack.
According to our Tibetan tradition, heart-wind does not only result from habitual breathing patterns. Extreme emotional states, such as rage or despair, can produce heart-wind. These strong emotions can raise the level of wind energy in the upper part of the chest, and result in an immediate, severe physical and emotional reaction such as a heart attack or suicidal thoughts. Heart-wind is a condition that can be calmed through taking traditional Tibetan herbal medicine in conjunction with breath practices such as are taught in chapters 4 through 7 of this book, to correct the voluntary breathing pattern.
Wind Energy and the Emotions
We may think of the breath as something that is simply related to the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide and that keeps us alive. However, wind energy not only supports our ordinary bodily systems but it also quite literally drives our emotions. Thus, it is more than simply the experience of inhalation and exhalation. Wind energy is also the physical rush of energy that accompanies all of our feelings and sensations. If we examine the body and mind carefully, we notice a connection between the breath and how we feel. When the breath is calm and relaxed, we notice that the body’s energy is also calm, especially in the areas of the abdomen, lungs, and chest. As a result, the mind becomes clear and we feel relaxed and even-tempered. We feel that we can take things as they come and that we are capable of dealing with whatever life brings us.
On the other hand, when we are emotionally upset, we may notice that we breathe harder and faster, or that we are unable to inhale deeply and exhale fully. We notice a sense of pain, heaviness, or dullness in the abdomen and chest area, or even throughout the whole body, and that the mind is agitated by thoughts or overpowered by emotion. This overpowering energy manifests in all sorts of neurotic ways, such as depression, obsession, fear of intimacy, fear of trust, or feelings of grandiosity or inadequacy. Research has associated breathing patterns with specific emotional states—and it has also shown that we can influence our emotions by the way we breathe.19 In addition, Western medicine connects our psychological state with respiratory alkalosis. Respiratory alkalosis is associated with a lower pain threshold,20 with feelings of discomfort and agitation,21 and with imbalances such as anxiety and fatigue—all the result of less efficient oxygen delivery to the tissues and organs, including the brain. Some research states that dysfunctional breathing is as high as 5 to 11 percent in the general population, 30 percent in asthmatics, and up to 83 percent in those who suffer from anxiety.22
When putting things in the context of wind energy, all of these emotions are simply an expression of imbalanced wind energy. However, even though all of these states of mind are a sign of unbalanced wind energy, they feel very different. And though the experiences of neurotic mind, energy, and emotions can appear and feel very different from one to the other, in every single case the mind can be thoroughly pacified and calmed through working with the breath.
Of course, change will not happen immediately. But generally speaking, over a long period of time, working with the breath is effective at cutting through all types of neurotic tendencies, because it brings the wind energy into balance. As the wind energy is brought into balance and becomes more stable, neurotic tendencies lessen and even begin to disappear.
In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, we call this style of practice wind energy training, or the purification of wind energy. We call the broad tradition of purifying and working with the wind energy Yantra Yoga. Some traditions of Yantra Yoga also include complementary asanas, or physical poses and postures. While these asanas cannot be practiced by everyone, since every person has different physical capabilities, wind energy training can be practiced by anyone, at any moment, regardless of age or physical condition.
Much research has been done to show that working with the breath benefits not only our physical health but also our mental and emotional well-being. Tibetan Buddhism would also add to these the aspect of spiritual well-being. This research clearly shows that working with the breath balances the two components of the autonomic nervous system by enhancing parasympathetic nervous activity (enabling body and mind to relax) and decreasing sympathetic nervous activity (which causes the body to feel anxious or overly alert). It also improves respiratory and cardiovascular function, decreases the negative effects of stress and the production of stress hormones, and improves physical and mental health.23
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