Breathe: a plea from your lungs
“Breathe. Breathe in the air. Don't be afraid to care...”
~ Pink Floyd
I recently made a trip of necessity to a grocery store -
- one that was impressive in its public and employee protection efforts and abilities to adapt to such a bewildering and unpredictable situation.
There was a low to moderate amount of customers - a few gloved, a few masked. And, I'm not sure if it was just my imagination, but even with all the space between us, I could almost sense the wariness of each other's presence.
I even became aware in myself of a reluctance to breathe when passing another - whether for my own sake or theirs.
More than just breathing…
The lungs, of course, are the organs of respiration, and are the center of focus during this pandemic. We are in an uber-heightened state of protection around them.
However, in Shiatsu, the understanding of their function expands a bit further, more metaphorical - to 'facilitate the process of exchange of Ki (Qi) between the individual and the environment.'*
So, breathing is not just about the exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide, but our most basic and at times, vulnerable interaction with the universe and everyone in it.
And aren’t most of us feeling pretty vulnerable right about now? Whether due to the virus and/or to the rapid and dramatic changes happening to our worlds, our very social fabric?
It’s been my observation and experience that when we are feeling vulnerable, or wary of our environment (or staring at a screen)** we may unconsciously breathe less, as if to control how the outer world ‘gets into us’.
Whether due to germs, or pollutants, or suspicious people, or traumatic experiences, we tend to control our breathing - we control the level of openness and exposure and how present we are in our bodies.
The ‘third lung’…
In Shiatsu, the skin is considered the ‘third lung’ - also exposed to the world, and also charged with the function of holding the boundaries.
The skin is also our largest sensory organ - it, too, is how we exchange information with the world, with others. And we know that all humans, and other animals too, thrive under touch. Or more to the point, wither away from the lack of it.
How interesting that these two organs of basic human relationship are those we are most guarding, and I’ve been troubled to think about the potential long-terms psychological effects of this distancing.
From Carola Beresford-Cooke’s book, “Shiatsu: Theory and Practice”:
Psychologically, since the Lungs are related to our boundaries, and imbalance in Lung Ki will lead to feelings of isolation from others, either depression or a general feeling of alienation, as if ‘in a fish tank’.
When the Lungs’ function is impaired, we are cut off from the Ki of the universe, and a feedback cycle of depression and feelings of unworthiness results.
We learn to restrict our breathing to defend ourselves form painful feelings, and thus further weaken our connection to the Ki of the universe.”
Supporting your Lungs.
Of course, we have to take measures to protect the lungs, the respiratory and the immune systems - which, really, is a given anyway.
But during this time of hyper-vigilance, let’s try to exercise some of the more energetic strengths these organs have to offer: Trust. Openness. Letting go.
Another thing, the emotion traditionally associated with Lungs is grief. We can feel that now, can’t we? Allow grief to flow through you, rather than get stuck in the chest, affecting not just the Lungs, but the Heart.
Please…
Find safe places where you can take deep, trusting open breaths, and fully exhaling, while visualizing letting go of toxins.
Breathe with your loved ones - whether those cooped up with you, or virtually. It's a wonderfully, intimate connecting practice.
Note when you’re holding back your breath (when around others, or, when staring at a screen…)
And, please, give your skin some loving touch. We’ve become suspicious of our own hands as carriers of disease, scrubbing them to the point of injury. Maintain sanitary practices, but respect this organ as the defining and intelligent boundary around who you are. To be at such odds with the walls of your own house is to court a level of insanity.
If you trust your co-habitants, give each other massage. Hug, at least. Your skin needs stimulation and exercise to stay healthy as a barrier. Or, you can practice some self-massage.
Here is a short video to work with:
Breath and touch are what keep us connected to one another as a human family.
Fear is what disconnects us.
Let us seek and practice a healthy balance.
* Also, a quote from the book, “Shiatsu: Theory and Practice” by Carola Beresford-Cooke
**This came via an informal study cited in the book, “Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus & Sharpen Your Creative Mind,” edited by Jocelyn K. Glei, regarding a group of people who were observed reducing or even momentarily stopping their breathing while focusing on screens. This phenomenon was dubbed, ‘screen apnea’.
*** The above are Amazon affiliate links, meaning, if you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you.
