When the attention moves to the rooted condition at the base of the spine, and the breathing is in alignment with this root condition, it undergoes a fundamental change.
First of all, I sense, within my physical attention, that breathing actually takes place in this area. The gross action of the chest and even the diaphragm are the muscular movements that make intelligible sense of the action of breathing; but what the
air does as it enters all depends on the intelligent sensation that is created in this small area at the base of the spine. It is possible, in a certain sense, to say that all of the action of breathing actually takes place here; this is the point where the substances that the breath takes in begin their action, although they then instantaneously come into relationship with many other parts, by a process of emanation.
The air has many other important actions and substantial effects on the body, especially feeding the active or organic sensation; but it doesn't have this action unless the rooted nature of breathing is established, understood, present, and active. So there already has to be a certain kind of attention at the base of the spine in order to root Being and relationship.
At this point, I discover that breathing is actually a very small action, unless I am exerting myself physically. If the breathing is properly rooted, it takes much finer substances into the body, and there is no need for anywhere near as much air as I breathe if I am not taking in these substances.
The breathing becomes much quieter. I actually move my sensation and awareness to this point, and participate in the very quiet, regulated, and actually quite tiny action of breathing in and out.
This becomes such a minimal enterprise that I may be surprised. Who could have known so little breath was necessary to sustain the organism? Yet in this still place of gentle, quiet breathing, where only exactly as much as is needed as taken in, I sense that what is taken in is much finer, that it feeds my entire being in my sensation in a different way. There is absolutely no need for me to do anything whatsoever; I don't need to do breathing exercises or breathe in a certain way. The breathing is fully intelligent; it knows everything about what is necessary, unlike me. At times, it will expel itself or even stop.
It understands what is necessary; I allow it, by moving aside within.
This full intelligence of breathing must be allowed to do its own work, and I only observe. It's not a destination; it's an activity that keeps itself in movement, feeds energy into the body of a different nature, and allows an expansion of awareness into the sensation that brings the parts into a different relationship.
This relationship itself is dynamic; and although I will have many experiences, if I begin to believe in a specific action within chakras, centers, the spine, and so on and so forth, each one becomes a grasping and a limitation of my inner energy and its full range and potential of movement.
So this is why I don't engage in manipulative exercises; I come into relationship with the energy and I allow it to move in whatever direction it knows how to move. It is certain that many associations will arise, and I will say to myself, "ah, the heart chakra is active," or, "I am receiving energy through the top of the head." All of these things will be true; but the words don't help, instead, they automatically become part of a structure I want to impose on my inner state. So although these associations definitely arise, and perhaps I even speak of them to people, when I am working within, I let go.
The point of the study of the full intelligence of breathing is to let go of my own intelligence so that the intelligence of the breathing is active. The minute that I direct it or label it, I have tried to take over, and I think I am in charge of this or that. But this or that needs to be in charge; and this or that represents the unknown, a quality of awareness that emanates from another level.
This exact quality of awareness is, in fact, the inflow from the divine. If it is allowed to do its work, many things become possible that are totally impossible while I am trying to do its work for it.
May your soul be filled with light.