Looking for ways to support the respiratory system is a top priority for many people. I remember that deep distress when I moved to Hong Kong and I couldn’t breathe so well. I was even prescribed an inhaler, for the first time in my life. That was when I joined Young Living for the Thieves products, to clean the air and to clean out the mold. It was also this time that I learned the Buteyko Method and about our dysfunctional ways of breathing.
The Breath is everything. In my Jin Shin Jyutsu practice, reminding myself and clients to return to the breath is foundational. Be the Breath. Connect Heaven and Earth, the upper and lower bodies, and all relationships within our body and in life. This is life force.
And when we breathe, we are taking in something new, and also something shared. Air circulates around the world, through the plant kingdom. When we are able to breathe freely, free of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual obstruction, we connect with ourselves and the world around us. We take in the new, and we are inspired.
In this article, I will share ways to support the respiratory system. These are only a few suggestions – you may want to research other ways, such as herbs, homeopathic remedies, and body adjustments.
1 Jin Shin Jyutsu
Jin Shin Jyutsu offers many options and pathways to well-being. We can connect with the body through 26 energy spheres located on each side of the body, holding our fingers, or placing our hands on the body in sequences such as the 12 Organ Function Energy flows.
Lung Function Energy
The most obvious that comes to mind, to support the respiratory system, is the Lung Function Energy. The easiest way to do this flow is the first step, what we call the anchor step. Place your right hand just beneath the left collarbone and the left hand on the left side of the body, at the bottom of the rib cage. Trust your body to know how long to hold this anchor step. Even a few minutes here and there throughout the day helps, as it has a cumulative effect. Perhaps you may feel a pulse beneath your finger – stay with it to see what happens to these pulses…do they harmonize and become one at some point? Maybe you feel yourself breathing more easily, or let out a deep sigh releasing tension, and energy begins to move.
Jin Shin Jyutsu Master Teacher Mary Burmeister, who was asked to bring the gift of Jin Shin Jyutsu to the West from Japan, reminded us that “I am my testimony.” What is important is how you feel, what your experience is. There is no wrong or right.
If you feel awkward doing the anchor step in public, you can also hold your ring finger. Each finger relates to two organ energies and an attitude. The ring finger helps to harmonize Lung and Large Intestine energies and grief. Because of what we have been going through individually and collectively, with the loss of people and letting go of an old way of being, supporting the Lung Function energy and so our sadness and grief, is so important. It can’t be overstated.
If you love mudras, there are a few Jin Shin Jyutsu mudras you can try. The first is interlocking your fingers, right thumb over left, with the middle fingers straight up touching palmside. This mudra supports the respiratory system by helping the exhale and releasing tension from the lungs.
Another mudra to explore is making a ring with your thumb and ring finger by placing the pad of the thumb on the nail of the finger. This creates and supports the relationship between exhale and inhale.
These are fantastic Jin Shin Jyutsu practices to explore. If you want to address any specific concerns, I offer online sessions where I show you what self-help to use and to build a sustainable and regular practice. I also offer long distance sessions where you receive. For more information, please visit my online shop and website.
2 Alternate Nostril Breathing
Alternate nostril breathing or Nadi Shodhana is a pranayama practice. Through different breathing practices, we can calm the body and mind. This particular practice centres our being, focuses the mind, rejuvenates the nervous system, balances the left and right brain, and yes, supports respiratory function.
- sit comfortably and relaxed
- anchor the index and middle fingers of your right hand on your forehead
- place your thumb on your right nostril and ring finger on the other, without closing them
- close your eyes, if you wish and take a deep inhale and exhale through your nose
- close the right nostril with your thumb and inhale slowly through your left nostril
- at the top of your inhale, close both nostrils and pause briefly. You can increase this pause with more practice
- lift your thumb to exhale through your right nostril, pausing at the bottom of the exhale
- inhale through your right nostril
- at the top of your inhale, close both nostrils again and pause.
- lift your ring finger and exhale through your left nostril, pausing briefly at the end
- repeat 5 to 10 times, always with lightness and following your natural inhales and exhales with ease
If you like, you can use Living Libations Salt Inhaler with your Nadi Shodhana practice. The one I have is the Living Libations petite or travel version. You can add essential oil, if you wish, to the Himalaya rock salt that you put inside to help purify the breath and airways. I’m using their frankincense oil. Living Libations is a Canadian-owned company that offers high quality products, such as essential oils, facial products, makeup, and dental care.
3 Clean the Air
As I mentioned, I joined Young Living when I moved to Hong Kong to help my breathing and to support my respiratory system. The star for me is the Thieves product line, which I used to clean my spaces and the air. I still diffuse Thieves oil and use the cleaner for high-humidity areas such as the bathroom. Living in a humid place, by the way, calls for a dehumidifier. This helps with mold!
Another way to clean the air is with plants. Here’s a look at the top pet-friendly plants. You can also hang some eucalyptus leaves from the shower head and enjoy its refreshing and rejuvenating aroma.
We can also clean the air by opting for clean products. The more we reduce the toxic load, the more our body is able self-regulate in a healthy way and respond to our environment. Take a look at the ingredients of all your products, including your cleaning products – you can do so much with just baking soda and vinegar. Adding essential oils can also boost their effectiveness. If you want to remove nasty smells, consider an air cleaner instead of using air deodorizers. The one I got is the Healthmate Plus from Austin Air.
Our sense of smell has been manipulated and dulled through the use of synthetic and overpowering scents. So we are left with diminished faculty; its function of letting us know when something is “off” is vital to our well-being. This includes something smelling funny in any way – something burning in the house, someone is being dodgy, an invitation being fishy…
11 Best Herbs to Support Lung and Respiratory Health (by Gaia Herbs)
4 Quantum Technology
I first discovered these quantum mandalas years ago with their Digital Acupuncture. Since then I’ve purchased several of their products and have found them effective. Below are several that I feel can help support your respiratory system. Do note that they are affiliate links and if you purchase through them, I do earn a small commission, which goes toward the operation of this website.
Allergy Relief
I have used the Allergy Relief mandala myself and have recommended it to several people, with positive feedback. The thing with these mandalas is that you get lifetime upgrades and also you can adjust its strength by opening multiple copies on your devices or by printing and stacking multiple copies (colour or black and white). This is also an effective way to harmonize the EMF frequencies emitted from your devices.
Virtual Oxygen Therapy
The Virtual Oxygen Therapy is another favourite. This includes a mild and regular mandala, 20- and 60-minute audio, 5-minute silent video, and a 1-minute ultra-strength silent energy track. You can listen to a 3-minute demo on the page. They also have a 90-day money-back guarantee!
Virtual Oxygen Therapy most certainly helps with any breath work. It seems to open the airways and makes deeper breathing so much easier without any effort. It also seems to bring clarity of mind and generates more energy within the body.
Anthony Harden (testimony from Subtle Energy website)
Marine Phytoplankton
The Marine Phytoplankton is another favourite. (I have a few!) It is so soothing and yet energizing.
Marine Phytoplankton is a micro-algae responsible for creating over 90% of the earth’s oxygen. It is rich in trace minerals, antioxidants, vitamins, essential amino acids, chlorophyll, DHA, and carotenoids. So it supports more than just our respiratory system. Additionally, it has a detoxifying and oxygenating effect on our body.
5 Go through Your Grieving Process
Grief and sadness, as previously mentioned, are related to both the Lung and Large Intestine Function Energies, as well as to the skin.
There’s a lot written and available about grieving, this very personal journey. The thing I’ve learned is that letting go is okay, it is safe. It doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten or are in some way dishonouring the person. We also grieve the loss of a lifestyle, a dream, a future, a way of living and being… Even identity attachments. It’s okay to grieve the end of something that isn’t healthy or helpful. The important thing is to face it and to move through, at your own speed.
This past year has been world-changing. Many people are only now just letting out an exhale. We are a resilient and adaptable species. You may be grieving the loss of someone, the loss of a job, or the end of a way of thinking or seeing the world. Much more will be revealed as we move through the end of the Cross of Planning cycle. And you may get angry as truths are uncovered. It’s believed that beneath anger lies grief so this is a good time to address your grief.
You may want to consider the Art of Contemplation course or the Venus Sequence, which explores our core wound and our relational styles.
We are in pivotal times. Being connected within ourselves and to the world outside is a vital way to navigate these changes. Because the Breath is the flow of life force, how we support our respiratory system is an integral part of our general well-being and personal growth. These six ways are suggestions to get you started and exploring your own paradigm. There are many pathways to self – trust in your own inner wisdom and trust the body. And let’s get outside, breathe the fresh air, connect with Mother Earth barefoot (whenever possible), and hug a tree.
