| New Age philosophy and practices are all too often | | | | meditative techniques: Buddhism and Hinduism. In these |
| stereotyped. Many people think it is all about swanning | | | | religions, meditation and breathing are intimately |
| around a flat in lots of scarves, listening to music with | | | | connected. One uses breathing exercises to clear and |
| flutes and harps, and probably smoking lots of | | | | prepare the mind for meditation. On the other hand, |
| marijuana. If you do these things, you are not | | | | one can meditate on the practice of one's breathing. |
| necessarily being a bad or misguided person, and New | | | | Hold on a minute. Why would you meditate on |
| Age philosophy does have a strong association with | | | | something as natural and simple as breathing, |
| such practices. However, the point is that there is more | | | | anyway? |
| to New Age enlightenment than the things mentioned | | | | Well, to many Buddhists and Hindus, as well as those |
| above. | | | | who have a philosophy that draws a great deal from |
| One of the reasons New Age believers pursue | | | | these religions (including New Age), air is not just a |
| meditation or take courses in spirituality is to achieve a | | | | collection of air molecules. It is actually life-energy. |
| higher spiritual and mental state. A high, in short. No, this | | | | Drawing breath not only keeps your body going, but |
| is not the debased concept of high that people get off | | | | also helps you tap into the energy binding the universe |
| party drugs, shopping, etc. Rather, it is the high of | | | | together. This is why you do not need to breathe in |
| operating at a level that agrees with your spiritual and | | | | anything other than "normal" air in order to get a high. |
| physical nature, and comes from connecting with | | | | Once you understand what breathing really is, this |
| nature and the universe as a whole. | | | | simple act takes on its real significance as not only |
| Meditation and improved breathing play a huge part in | | | | something that fuels your cells, but also opens your |
| attaining this "true" high. Some people talk discuss this | | | | mind and helps free it from the limiting, self-centered |
| state or process as one of being "transported" or | | | | attitudes so prevalent today. |
| "taken away." However, we can also understand it as | | | | People may take "controlled substances" in order to |
| a return. We are trying to recapture our connection | | | | stimulate certain parts of their brain by releasing or |
| with the outside world, in a contemporary context | | | | introducing certain chemicals into their system. |
| where mass media and other distractions constitute | | | | However, there is a much more natural way to get a |
| most people's truth, but they actually cut us off from | | | | high. It is natural in two senses: it uses your body's |
| reality. Meditation is not supposed to be an escape, but | | | | natural functions, and it also connects you to the |
| a way back to what is really important. | | | | energy of nature and the universe. Try taking up |
| This idea of meditation as a path to a deeper truth or | | | | breathing techniques like yoga breathing and |
| reality is well developed in the religions that have | | | | experience this connection for yourself. |
| attained the most sophisticated understanding of | | | | |