FROM DENNIS LEWIS--THE DIAPHRAGM: THE SPIRITUAL MUSCLE
Though people talk often about the diaphragm, that large domed-shape
muscle that functions as the floor of the chest cavity and the ceiling
of the abdominal cavity, they seldom have any real sensation of its
many actions. Through its complex three-dimensional vertical,
horizontal, and angular movements, the diaphragm not only helps the
body take in the oxygen it needs but it also helps the body rid itself
of so-called waste products. Through these same movements, a healthy,
well-developed diaphragm also helps to open and close the various
breathing spaces of the body, release muscle tensions in the chest and
back, support the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the
digestive system, and the immune system, and help us communicate
verbally from deep within. A poorly functioning diaphragm makes it
difficult for the breath of life to flow through us and express itself
in a free and healthy way.
Except for our very first inhalation at birth, when the diaphragm is
functioning well the in-breath, the taking in of the energy of life,
happens as a spontaneous reflex that occurs after a full exhalation.
When we empty our lungs of everything that is no longer necessary, we
are spontaneously and effortlessly filled with fresh air. Perhaps that
is one of the reasons that some teachers call the diaphragm a
spiritual muscle, and use the analogy of the diaphragm to explain what
happens when we learn to let go of the thoughts and emotions that keep
us imprisoned in our own self-image.
Follow your breath now for a few minutes, and pay special attention to
what happens as you exhale. Do you feel that your exhalation is
complete, or does it seem to stop prematurely? Do you try to grab for
air willfully at the end of the exhalation or does the inhalation
occur by itself in the form of a wave arising from the unknown? Just
take note of what actually happens.
Copyright 2007 by Dennis Lewis
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