The Importance of Breathing
Of course, everyone knows how important it is to breathe and so did Charlotte Mason. She wrote about it in her first volume, Home Education. In particular, she mentioned how vital it is for children (and parents) to get fresh air. “We know what it is to come in out of the fresh air and complain that a room feels stuffy; but sit in the room for a few minutes, and you get accustomed to its stuffiness; the senses are no longer a safe guide.” (Home Education, page 33).
In Charlotte Mason’s day, rooms were not only stuffy but also had bad fumes. In her day, homes went from using candles to gas-powered lamps and, finally, electricity. However, the gas-powered lamps would make everything smoky. You’d always have to be cleaning because things would get black with all the smoke and dust around. Miss Mason wrote that parents should: “Encourage the children to notice whether the room they enter ‘smells’ quite fresh when they come in out of the open air, to observe the difference between the air of the town and the fresher air beyond; and train them to perceive the faintest trace of pleasant or harmless odors” (Home Education, Page 126).
A few years ago, I made it a goal to read through as many of the Parents’ Review articles as I could. I read about one or two a day. One of them had a fascinating idea: to train your lungs to hold your breath (in “The Art of Breathing” by E. R. Matzke, Volume 12, 1901, pages 107-117, Parents Review Articles). The idea was that people who can’t hold their breath for a long time (like me) can’t because they don’t train for it. Since then, I’ve added holding my breath into my regular stretching and exercise routine every day. I’m still not that good at it, but I’ve improved. Another thing that helps when you hold your breath is to start taking in air from your diaphragm and then take in extra air from your lungs before you begin holding your breath. You can hold your breath longer that way.
Charlotte Mason incorporated Swedish Drills into her students' daily schedule, some of which focused on breathing techniques. These drills involved students taking long, deep breaths, and holding their hands out and then up as they breathed in, and down as they breathed out. These exercises were not only beneficial for improving lung capacity but also for promoting a sense of calm and focus.
Another practice that Charlotte Mason suggested is going out to a big field and having students scream as loud as possible. She said, “…mothers should carry their children off to lonely places, where they may use their lungs to their heart’s content without risk of annoying anybody” (Home Education, page 81). I moved to a small city along the coast a few months ago, and we go to the beach a few times a week. I often tell my kids that this is a great place to scream and yell because the sound of the ocean is so loud. You almost have to scream sometimes just so the person you’re talking with can hear you at the beach (especially if it’s windy, which is often here).
Finally, breathing well and getting enough air in your lungs, is important to think clearly. Charlotte Mason talked about how much blood flows through the brain regularly, to provide oxygen and nutrients to it. If someone doesn’t breathe well, he or she might not be able to think as good. Since breathing exercises are so important, why not give them a try?
Rachel Bubb 2024
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