First and last breath........

Now that I've convinced myself, (and hopefully you, if you needed convincing) of the importance of breathing, we can go on to further aspects of the art of breathing and the way it dominates our lives ! With any luck it is the first thing we do when we emerge (not for me though!), and the last when we expire.
There are now fantastic machines which can support the human body - "iron lung" is their title. When you see one and consider its size, you can only marvel at the efficiency of the human lungs, tiny by comparison....
In my opinion, any talent taken to it's ultimate perfection becomes an art.....
Have you ever seen a Chinese calligrapher at work - it's quite a spiritual experience ? He leans over the scroll and breathes audibly, moving with extraordinary grace, and giving each stroke a part of his living soul - we are both uplifted by it.....
Watching a gifted footballer, or ice skater, score what seems to be an impossible goal is fascinating - "How did he DO that one thinks, it was so quick ?" . That was his creation, and just as much an art as watching a ballet dancer achieve an amazing leap - Nuryev comes to mind -"Is he EVER going to land again ..?" I was fortunate enough to be working at the Royal Opera in London and allowed to stand in the the wings (side of the stage) when he was mesmerising us with his agility and charismatic creativity - everything in the right place at the right time - and most of all his breath control. He didn't appear to breathe at all - maybe that was his secret, he just floated around in the ether....? Carlos Acosta currently has the same facility, but about three times the weight and size of Nuryev - and we don't hear him land either - no huffing and puffing......magic.....
My gratitude always goes out to cleaners, in whatever capacity they work. For some unknown reason this profession is generally classed as the bottom of the scale in
social status. Wrong !! It should be top of the list....As far as I'm concerned, a cleaner uses their skill to create a pleasant ambience, and is as valuable to any company as the managing director, especially if the cleaner is more efficient in their work !
Without cleaners the "civilised" world be up to the sky in - rubbish, garbage, crap - whatever ..!! A good cleaner makes an art of the job, and is rightfully happy in their work - sometimes this joy is heard as they hum along with their duster, or vacuum cleaner, and they never seem to have a problem with their breathing (unless they actually have a respiratory condition), because the physique is moving
and thus synchronises the breathing apparatus - simple as that.....
So enjoy the housework if you don't have a cleaner to do it for you ... and try not to make too much dust fly - I've spent many hours teaching theatre students how to sweep vast stages without raising clouds of dust - and it's fascinating watching the stage crew in any big theatre, move in line gently, "tweaking" vast brushes, overlapped, to keep the dust low - as entertaining as watching the little cgynets in "Swan Lake" , though somewhat differently clad !
Enjoy life in whatever art you choose..... and ... k..p b.......g

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