Breath and body are two sides of the same coin and the condition of one directly affects the condition of the other. If the breath is shallow or constricted, sensations are weak and dull and indistinct, because we have no access to our life force. When the breath becomes full or fluid, or we can say deep, sensations become once again vibrant and present. By sensations I mean aliveness: we feel light, we feel vibrant and energetic. Breathing activates all this and it comes to us as an experience, a tactile experience. It is important that what the breath does is not just breathing air. It is an active force coming in with motion and touching us. Not that we cannot activate sensations by scratching and massage and all, but when the breath comes in, it activates that which we are on a very cellular level.
- Ruth Denison