We all breathe. The breath is the only physiological function of the body over which we have some level of control. We can breathe faster or slower.We can also hold the breath for a while. Every emotion that we experience triggers a breathing pattern and conversely, a particular breathing pattern will usually trigger an emotion. Positive emotions are typically associated with long deep breaths and negative emotions trigger short, shallow, sharp breaths. Some sort of control over the breathing helps to maintain a sense of calmness amidst adversity, allowing us to take better decisions. This is the essence of the science of Pranayam.
