breathing course

HIYA!
So, I did a breathing course called Art of Living. It is best to maintain awareness while doing the breathing exercises. I've always had such a hard time maintaing awareness. Actually, I don't even know the difference between concentration and awareness. Never mind, I'll just say awareness.

Anyway, I did the six day course and liked it. Really did. About three hours a day. It's a version of Hinduism, I'd say. And we had a bit of theory. I liked that part too. I like all this stuff about the reality of existence. Lots of the theory seems to me consistent with Buddhism, which makes sense that it would be.

They say you should do the exercises for at least 40 days after the course. Solid. Don't miss a day. Well, I did miss one day last week. But even today, when I thought about chucking it, I told myself that it's not a good idea to chuck it. Like the teacher said, she used to tell people, if you have to miss a day, well, then you have to miss a day. But then people'd miss a day here, and miss a day there. No, tell yourself that you'll not miss a single day. So, I have been really good about it. I've made time for myself in the morning. They say that if you do it straight for 40 days it'll become a part of you and if you miss a day you'll not feel right.

It takes about 25 or 30 minutes I guess. First I do some yoga-like exercises called the Five Tibetans, then I do the breathing exercises, then I do the sitting meditation. It all takes about an hour and 15 minutes.

This morning I felt really really good after doing the exercises. Really good. I sat there in meditation aware of the really good feeling in my chest area especially. Really nice. Better yet it lasted for quite a while. Though for sure the good feeling faded somewhat even before I finished sitting meditation, never mind, I still felt good a while after finishing. This is the very motivation I probably need to keep me going. There's been nothing that I can think of in my life that has made me feel like I want to continue doing it. Oh, jogging once made me feel really good afterwards. But I like this better.

I can join other people doing this once a week for a longer version of the breathing exercises. I went once.

Can't say that my awareness is any more solid for doing these breathing exercises but I do feel more relaxed when I realize that I've been daydreaming during meditation. That's a positive thing.

I actually feel a little uneasy about having learned this, about practicing it regularly, and especially about telling people I know - like you all - that I do these breathing exercises. It's because I've read where people criticise all these health fads, help-yourself this and that. I realize that I'm really sensitive to other people's opinions of me and what I do. I identify myself as someone who's doing one of these "health fads" then feel defensive because of the criticism. But when I'm aware, I tell myself that I'm being defensive, allow myself to feel this way, then let it go. Someday I suppose I won't feel defensive in the least.

I'm glad to do these breathing exercises as I believe breathing to my lungs' full capactiy is probably more useful to my health than even healthful eating.

Enough.

Troy.