If we can live several weeks without food, several days without water, but just several minutes without breath, if breathing is what makes us LIVE, why then are we so little aware of our breath?

How to become more aware of my breath and how breath influences the body, was my main question when I finished my dance academy study.

Most of us aren't aware of our breath. We breathe high in the chest and aren’t aware of the stress this creates in the body (and mind!!) I felt strongly I wanted to get in touch with my breath on a much deeper level and so I began my research. Studying several internal and external martial art techniques, meditation techniques and self research, suddenly something extraordinary beautiful came on my way: Vyayam / Maipayat.

Vyayam / Maipayat is an ancient Vedic martial and healing art, coming from India. It is philosophically based on Tantra (The art of expansive energy), Yoga (The art of re-integration) and Ayurveda (The art of eternal life). Vyayam means 'To tame the inner breath'. Maipayat is a Dravidian word used in South India and is equal to the Sanskrit word Vyayam. Vyayam / Maipayat was practiced in the Vedic area in India and was brought to the Shaolin temples by Boddhidarma in the 5th Century and from there Chinese and Japanese internal and martial arts were developed.

In Vyayam / Maipayat we distiribute the Prana (vital energy) through deep breathing, from the Tan (center of energy of the body) through our body, through our Nadis (subtle energyrivers, channels of prana), Chacras (energy generation and regeneration centers), Talas (energy distribution centers) and Marmas (energy connection cores). And with this we purify, harmonize and energize our body and Aura (energyfield).

Vyayam / Maipayat is an internal martial art, a deep silent as well as dynamic meditation, as well as energetic gymnastics. In Vyayam / Maipayat all movement originates from breathing. Therefore it is very beneficial for your entire organism, your organs, your mental state as well as your condition and muscletone. You enter in a deep meditation by rhythmical breathing and are training your body in the most organic way possible. What's so beautiful about Vyayam is that you become so deeply connected to your breathing, it becomes part of your daily life. It can be practiced by all people, all ages, all levels.

Vyayam / Maipayat was kept a secret for a long time, and it is still very hard to find outside and inside of India. I received the gift of learning it, experienced the amazing power of it, and am very happy to pass this gift through. For a better breathing, more aware planet!