The Link between Body and Mind

"The breath is the link between body and mind; it is the stepping off place from the physical to the mental. If your breathing is short and rapid, your mind will work nervously agitatedly. If your breathing is erratic your mind must be disturbed and anxious. But if your breathing is long, slow, smooth and even the wildly racing, mechanical nature of your mind will become tranquil and peaceful!" (Richard Hittleman from Guide to Yoga Meditation)
"Breathing techniques have been used for thousands of years as an essential element in virtually every meditative technique or healing practice."(William B. Salt MD, Neil F Neimark MD from Irritable Bowl Syndrome and the Mind Body Connection)
Breathing connects the autonomic nervous system to the voluntary nervous system. Stress can change our pattern of breathing without our being aware of it. Consciously controlling our breath can affect our stress level. In my experience focusing on the breath is a very simple way to focus my attention. When I've gathered my attention to the breath and away from other stimuli I can re-direct it to what I want or need to do next.
Breathing exercises can be oriented toward creating a relaxation response to reduce stress or used as a way to direct the power of attention or employed in an exploration of concentration and meditation.
This week I'll be teaching the relaxation response technique popularized by Herbert Benson MD.