Timeless Wisdom
Breathing & Health
Every living creature inhales and exhales. Its breathing contains ie ia steristics of matter such as color, smell, taste and touch. Just as the body has color, smell, taste and touch, the breath too has all these four characteristics.
A being does not merely breathe, it also absorbs pudgala with its color, smell, taste and touch. Five colors, two smells, five tastes and four to eight touch are present in the breath. When man's emotions are pure, his breath has the auspicious color, smell, taste and touch. When his emotions are impure, the pudgalas have inauspicious color, smell, taste, and touch. When the color smell, taste and touch are auspicious, the condition of good health exists and when the color smell, taste and touch are inauspicious, health deteriorates.
Nose and Breathing
While thinking about the breath, we shall have to think about the nose too. The nose and the breathing are closely related. According to Physiology, one part of the brain is related to the nose. It is connected with the external knowledge. This part of the brain is not as well-developed in human beings as in the animals. It has some shortcomings. Nonetheless, the part of the brain related to the nose is very important. Fear, anger, aggressive tendencies, all these are centered in this part, it is called pudgalo around the nose. Understanding the nose means understanding the numerous mysteries of the body.
Bhagvan Mahavir used to concentrate on the tip of the nose. Concentration on the tip of the nose has a very profound meaning. It means that the person who concentrates on the tip of the nose, controls his brain related to the nose and refines it. The person who wishes to attain freedom from fear, wishes to bring down his anger, wishes to abandon his aggressive ways, wishes to control his lust, must essentially concentrate on the tip of his nose.
Apparently, the nose does not seem to be directly of any use. But from the spiritual point of view, the nose and the part of the brain related to the nose are of great importance. The nose and breathing are related to each other. If the breath is regulated, the part of the brain related to the nose gets refined.
The moment we are angry, the frequency of our breath increases. Similarly, our breathing becomes faster when we are dominated by ego or deceit. With the harmony of the emotions, there is also the harmony of the breathing. If there is emotional excitement, there would be excitement in the breathing too. If one is emotionally calm, his breathing too would be relaxed. The emotions, breath and health seem to be clearly and deeply related to each other. The problem of health cannot be solved without studying these three factors simultaneously. When the atoms of pure emotions and pure breath are absorbed, they become the constituents of good health. When the atoms of impure emotions and impure breath are absorbed, sign of the diseases manifest.
Therefore, focus on your breath, rectify your emotions and enjoy the good health.