The Pause

Sometimes when we’re breathing there is a pause between the inhale and the exhale. In Sanskrit, it’s called kumbhaka. There are times when it’s very small, imperceptible. Others, it’s longer, and shakes our entire respiratory system up. Kumbhaka is the retention of the breath either after the inhale or the exhale in the practice of pranayama, the ancient yoga breathing techniques.

When kumbhaka is done purposefully it can bring many benefits to your body and mind: better oxygenation of the brain, it improves focus, and can reduce strain in the circulatory system. Not always we’re retaining the breath on purpose, and in those times, the lack of oxygen can lead to anxiety and stress.

Yesterday, I was taking a walk. Looking at the empty roads, it seemed to me as if all that is happening is a pause. And I can look at this pause as purposeful retention or a lack of something. I can immerse myself in intention or I can let it happen to me.

It seems like we are all now “waiting this thing out” and we’re looking forward to “life after coronavirus”. And we’re forgetting that in this wait, life is still happening. Kids are growing, work doesn’t stop (even if it’s housework - cooking, cleaning, organizing, …). Life doesn’t stop so we can wait it out.

I usually tell my students when they are in really uncomfortable asanas (postures): “imagine you’ll be here forever”. That gets a laugh out of them because we know nothing lasts forever. And this moment we’re in is also not going to last forever. And as I also say to my students when they are holding a very uncomfortable asana: “just breathe and find out that you are stronger than you think you are”.

Namaste