Breath
The breath is your wind. Control your wind to control your mind. You must be in control of your mind at all times. The breath is the anchor that binds you to the present moment; you have to be here to thrive here.
Use your wind to replace thoughts in the mind with Mushin(無心), a state of no thought—purity of mind. This mind-domain state can be described with a glass of water with sediment at the bottom.
When the mind is pure, the sediment is at the bottom of the glass. You do not have anxious thoughts swirling in your mind, the “monkey mind” as the Buddhists call it, or the overthinking, loud, anxious mind. When the mind is loud, the water in the glass is no longer clear. A loud mind taints the water as sediment(thought) takes the entire form of the water(mind).
When your mind is in the Mushin(無心)mind state, you slow the river of time because no time slips past you. The current slows. Most of the world is led by their minds instead of controlling their minds, so they aren’t here—time slips fast when you’re out of the moment. The mind is more useful when you lead it, as opposed to it leading you.
Breathwork should be conducted whenever the water of your mind is dirty. Purity of mind should be pursued at all times and is possible at all times.
After you have taken control of your mind by controlling your breath, you will observe a still mind. This can be accomplished with breathing methods. You will know when your breathwork is complete when the sediment of your mind is still.
Breathing affects the pH level of your blood. Breathing methods lower CO2, which engages the body, which engages the mind, which engages the spirit. Both body and mind activation engage the spirit.
Breathing Methods
“Enjoy getting high on your own supply”
Wim Hoff
Manual breathing
Manual breathing instead of automatic breathing. This is the default breath pattern for a wanderer on the path.
The first thing a wanderer must do as part of their morning primer is switch to manual breathing. Every morning we take the responsibility of breathing back from the subconscious. Consider thanking your subconscious for breathing for you.
The Wim Hoff Method
Breathe all the air in through your nose, and let it go from your mouth. Full inhales, and a single pushing exhale. This pattern is repeated 20-50+ times, then full inhale/exhale recovery breathing, then holding the breath in a safe location.
Hoff provides free and paid tutorials for his method you can find. His training is recommended.
Breath of Fire
The breath of fire comes from Kundalini yoga.
Rapid pushing inhales and exhales through the nose. Rapid fire, short, half-second duration inhale/exhales. 2-3 breaths per second.
Inhale - core expands
Exhale - core contracts
Full breathing
Inhale as deeply as you can. Hold it for as long as it is comfortable. Exhale as deeply as you can. Hold it for as long as comfortable.