Yogis compared to other people, tend to take fewer breaths of greater volume. Slower breathing is calming to the nervous system. Yogic breaths are also much more efficient. Rapid or shallow breaths actually deliver less air to the alveoli, the tiny air sacs in the lungs where oxygen exchange happens, than a few slower, deeper breaths. Better breathing increases exercise capacity and saturates blood with oxygen, and creates a inner calm – to the nervous system and mind. (Source: Timothy McCall, M.D.)
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Resources
Reading Room
- Autobiography of a Yogi
- Bikram Yoga, Bikram Choudhury's Book
- Bringing Yoga To Life – The Everyday Practice of Enlightened Living – by Donna Farhi
- Eat for Health by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
- Foundation
- Hatha Yoga: The Hidden Language, Symbols, Secrets & Metaphors
- In An Unspoken Voice – How The Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness – by Peter Levine
- Intuition, Knowing Beyond Logic by Osho
- Live in a Better Way by Dalai Lama
- Living, Loving & Learning by Leo Buscaglia
- Striking Thoughts – Wisdom for Daily Living – by Bruce Lee
- The Deeper Dimension of Yoga by George Feuerstein
- The Four Agreements
- The Four Elements of Change
- The Heart of Yoga by T.K.V. Desikarchar
- The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen
- The Reflective Life by Ken Gire
- The Sacred Yes
- The Seeker's Guide – Making Your Life A Spiritual Adventure
- The Untethered Soul
- The Way We're Working Isn't Working by Tony Schwartz
- The Wisdom of Insecurity
- Yoga & Ayurveda, Self-Healing & Self-Realization by David Frawley
- Yoga Gems by Georg Feuerstein
Movies