The Breathe

Breathing plays an essential role in zazen. The exhalation is calm, imperceptible and sets a slow, strong and natural rhythm. The inhalation happens naturally. It is shorter than the exhalation. During zazen, both the breathing rhythm and the heart rate slow down; the blood and internal organs are better supplied with oxygen. The exhalation, which exerts downward pressure across the entire lower abdomen, generates great energy around the waist, the kidney area and the hips. The practitioner can maintain this breathing pattern in everyday life, as the body eventually adapts to it. Masters often compare the breathing in zazen to the lowing of a cow or the breathing of a baby crying at birth. The short inhalation and the slow, powerful exhalation are both signs and sources of strength and vitality. In contrast, a shallow and short exhalation indicates weakness and depressive states. When the breathing is good, all aspects of life become easy. When body and mind are connected, deep, slow, calm and powerful breathing sweeps away all the complexity of the mind. The mind becomes clear as a cloudless sky.