Is There Such a Thing as Human Potential?

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There could be this organ that is fundamental to how we engage with reality, which is like breathing in air. If we breathe in a slow, rhythmic manner and we're breathing through our noses, our brains function better. And so the idea that we are constantly in this state of stress, we don't know why, we can't figure it out. I'm not saying it's all tied to our breathing, of course not. There's so many other inputs. But breathing is one of the main foundations of establishing proper health,. Of calming your nervous system so you can better navigate the modern world.

When author and journalist James Nestor began researching a piece on free diving, he was stunned. He found that free divers could hold their breath for up to 8 minutes at a time, and dive to depths of 350 feet on a single breath. As he dug into the history of breath, he discovered that our industrialized lives have led to improper and mindless breathing, with cascading consequences from sleep apnea to reduced mobility. He also discovered an entire world of extraordinary feats achieved through proper and mindful breathing — including healing scoliosis, rejuvenating organs, halting snoring, and even enabling greater sovereignty in our use of technology. What is the transformative potential of breath? And what is the relationship between proper breathing and humane technology?