| Titel: | Breathing: The Phases of the Integral Breath |
|---|---|
| Autor: | Nugent, Heidi A. |
| Mediengruppe: | dissertation |
| Herausgeber: | --- |
| Zeitschrift: | Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Jahr: | 2009 |
| Band: | 70 |
| Heft: | --- |
| Seiten: | --- |
| Sprache: | English |
| Abstract: | This is an interdisciplinary, intercultural, humanistic analysis of the breath as viewed through the concept of holistic health. The intricacies of the human dimension's complex nature were analyzed through the construct of heuristic/hermeneutic research which frames this dissertation's analysis of the phases of breathing and its multifaceted nature. Every breath is an organic response to the energetic nature of life, thus the research question "what are the experiences of the basic nature of life that influence the phases of breathing and its relationship to well-being?" This cognitive Amerasian (American/Asian) cross-cultural research into the holism of health integrates the ancient understanding of Chinese medicine, Daoism, Qigong, and Yoga with conventional modern allopathic medicine. The ancient philosophies offer empowerment for personal well-being by acknowledging the interconnectedness of all life by way of the life force energy or qi, whereas the dominant philosophy of conventional medicine suggests the body is fragile and needs medical professionals to care for its well-being. Evidence validates breathing as the seamless connection to all life as it protects physical well-being through the quality and quantity of the response of the breath to the vibrational nature of all life's interactions. By synthesizing the research evidence, gathered and analyzed in the study, five phases of breathing were revealed which correlated with the five phases of Chinese medicine: birth—water; body rhythms—metal; environment—wood; emotions—earth; and cosmogony—fire. The true nature of life's holism is found in the simplicity of the integral breaths' eternal cosmic connection, with the free life-giving ever-expanding perpetuation of the benevolent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved) |