There is no doubt that breath is vital for life. Cells start dying within minutes without oxygen. But somehow we live without giving attention to this paramount body function. Like most of us, I used to be a shallow breather before discovering Yoga. Through breath we plug into the Life Force or Prana as it’s known as in Yoga. Working with the breath we can bring balance to pretty much every body function and to the quality of our consciousness. ‘Prana’yama/breath work is a major aspect of Yoga. I remember my first time doing it I didn’t get it at all. My practice was only asanas with a little Ujjayi breath. Years later I started to crave for greater depth in my practice and so I gave more time and attention to Pranayama and meditation. I signed up for one hour Pranayama classes with my teacher Vinay Kumar in India. I remember it being a very bumpy road for about a month as I was uncomfortably boiling in the Sukhasana/easy pose which we needed to stay in for the entire hour of practice. It felt like I was in a torturous horror movie as I witnessed my body becoming numb and my right hip expressing all swear words known to mankind! At the same time a roller-coaster of emotions was launched and this drove me insane with major frustration and anger until almost mercifully a kind of bitter boredom set in. I couldn’t get it. My decision was to go to the teacher and tell him that Pranayama just wasn’t working for me. Thank God my stubborn nature saved me the embarrassment as I reminded myself to give up ego rather than faith. The next morning I lay my crown of ‘self-importance’ aside, sat down and invited all the pain and frustration to visit me. HA! Not this time! After one month of daily practice the constant noise in my mind and the sensations in my body were interrupted by the voice of peace. Now my heart expanded with a visitation of joyful overwhelming love for all beings and all life! WOW! This is the place I love to be!!