A Union of Opposites (4-final) breathing with Pythagoras

July 29, 2021 / Leave a Comment

(Above: the famous Pythagoras triangle is approached as a breathing experience)

So… how are we going to ‘breathe with Pythagoras’?

We will use the 3-4-5 properties of a right-angled triangle, translated into a breathing pattern. As we saw in the previous post, we know these are harmonic, and represent squares. If you followed the symbolism, you will remember that the sequence point-line-surface represents the emergence of the physical world; which is continued by the cubes – the key to 3D space. For this exercise, we’ll stay with squares.

The first thing to do is to establish a breathing count. Let your breathing settle and take a few easy breaths. Check you are not carrying tension in your midsection by gently easing your diaphragm down as you breath in, allowing your chest to fill, naturally.

Breath out, fully, but without effort, then take in what you feel is your natural, unstressed amount of air to a count of three. Be deeply aware of this and remember its duration. Try to keep this ‘length of breathing’ in your mind and use it as a basis for the rest of the exercise.

Close your eyes and breathe out. As you do so, see the formation of a brightening point of light in your mind (the red circle with white border)

As you continue to breathe out, let this mental picture of the small circle get brighter.

Now, holding the image of the small circle, breathe in for the three count. See the dot becoming a red line whose length is three units, growing from right to left. As you approach the end of your in-breath, see the line running out of length, as in the diagram’s base.

Hold the breath for a count of four as you travel from the same point but vertically upwards, (i.e. at 90 degrees). The two lines have formed a right angle to each other. See the place where the two lines merged becoming a small, solid square, as in the diagram.

Now imagine that you are the top of that line, looking to make a perfect join with the original line of three units; at the point where the small circle began. Breathe out, as gently as you can, for five units, closing the gap and making the figure complete. Then imagine you are the whole of that line, looking back at the small, solid square. Breath in while looking at the square, then return to contemplate the small circle, where you breathe out to begin the cycle, again.

You have come back to the beginning, back to the start of creation.

Repeat this for a maximum of ten breaths. Return to it after a rest if you wish to continue.

If you would like to combine this with the previously described ‘elements’ exercise (Part 2), use these symbolic attributions:

East – the small circle.

South – the line of three units.

West – the line of four units.

North – the line of five units.

And returning to the East-overhead, use a picture of the the circle shrinking to nothing as the final image. You will have symbolically cycled in and out of manifestation, involution and evolution.

(Note: If you suffer from any breathing difficulties or blood pressure, you should consult your doctor before doing any such exercises)