This is my entry for 
What is your favourite hobby?
Now that is a difficult question. What is my favourite hobby? Hard to answer, because I just love doing quite a lot of things that aren’t hobbies for me. Not that I actually earn a living with the things I love to do, but they are deep passions that feel like callings more than hobbies. Anyway. Despite the aforementioned it was still hard to pick one out, and after a lot of mind power drenching contemplation I discovered my favourite hobby!
Breathing.
[Image from Pexels.com]
I picked that hobby up right after birth. The minute I popped out someone slapped me and that surprised me so much I took a deep gasp of air and hollered at that son-of-a-bitch as loud as possible. People around seemed to enjoy my screaming so much, that I felt it should be evaluated for further purpose. I’d try it on every occasion. If I wanted something like food, or a blanket, or maybe sometimes nothing in particular. Just to get their undivided attention. Annoyingly sometimes the grown-ups around me couldn’t figure out what I wanted while screaming, so eventually I accepted the fact, that screaming is not really that effective and I gave up that hobby. Smiling and laughing was way better and turned grown-ups into grimace pulling, eye rolling idiots, which was very entertaining. But also boring after a while. So I focused again on breathing.
Over the years I tried to experiment with it. How long could I go without breathing? I’d stick my head under the water in the tub and try to hold it as long as possible. It made me a little dizzy and that’s where my interest in mind altering … oh wait, that’s a different hobby. Anyway. Often I would run around endlessly and noticed how much more air I wanted to breathe in. I really liked air. And another thing popped up: when I would run I could go endlessly and there was always enough air. The grown-ups that tried to catch me on the other hand panted so hard after a while, that it seemed there is less air for grown-ups. Breathing sparked my philosophical side.
[Image from Pexels.com]
My inquiring mind started to search for more mysteries. As it happened new phenomena appeared. In the winter time the breath would come out as clouds from my nose or mouth! How awesome is that?! And when I was old enough to have a beard, breath would form icicles on the hair. That is not as awesome, but impressive in itself. Furthermore in the hot and humid climate air would form droplets on my upper lip. The awesomeness of that is doubtful. But breathing could produce so many different outcomes, it was worthwhile experimenting more. Oh, yes; condensed breath on a window becomes a canvas for finger drawing. The passion for art was sparked! But I had to figure out what it actually is that I breathe in. Apart from the scientific explanation it was also interesting to know more about what breath meant in itself. They would talk about it in religious scripts, how we as humans were not alive until the breath from above brought us to life. An interesting image for a small kid, but not really relatable. So I moved on to test the strength of my breath on dandelions, leaves and whatever was light enough to be blown away. It was a fulfilled childhood.
[Image from Pexels.com]
Growing older breathing was still quite the thing. Although I had forgotten about it quite a bit. It just happened. It was like picking up a guitar, playing and then doing something else afterwards. But I heard there were people in the far east that would practice different forms of breathing. They would breathe in different speeds and depths and sometimes even hold their breath at length. With that they would reach mind altering states of consciousness and become enlightened and such. So here was something that includes different kinds of breathing, not breathing, and the goal of mind altering experiences (That’s what I meant with mind altering above. If anyone was thinking about drugs: shame on you :)). It was told that some yogis had gained such great control over psychic abilities through the proper use of breathing techniques, that it became an obsession trying to learn what they could do. Unfortunately apart from fainting my psychic powers didn’t evolve that much. My memory is sometimes vague, but that could have genetic reasons. I hope. But on the bright side this very artistic form of breathing made me a calmer and more positive person. So I furthened my control over breathing to great lengths and still practice enthusiastically.
[Image from Pexels.com]
The fun part of breathing is; it’s free and it makes me feel good. And every day I can use breathing to experience something new. Air carries odours for example. I can inhale, smell what the neighbour is cooking, and exhale profusely as today is obviously cabbage day. I can walk about four flights of stairs and according to my rate of inhale/exhale motion determine that it would be time to stop smoking. And yes; grown-ups seem to have less air.
Over the years I had become very skilled at breathing and learnt a great deal of positive rules concerning social interaction. For example; brushing my teeth and having good overall personal hygiene. Remember: Air+Odour=what you breathe in. All in all breathing has come natural to me and opened my consciousness to deeper facets of existence. What more can you wish for? I am sure it is a hobby I’ll continue for the rest of my life.
So this is my hobby. I can do it alone or with friends. We can share moments of intense breathing together or just go about everyday chores. We can sync up the rhythms or have our own. And there is yet a lot to learn. For example I recently discovered a breathing technique that allows you to breathe in to deeper regions of your lung, thus enhancing your capacities and health. Very enjoyable. As long as I don’t faint again.
I hope you enjoyed my post about the favourite hobby and wish you a pleasant day.
(Please excuse the use of stock photography. At the moment I don't have suitable photos, or the means to make my own. But am working on it)