The focal point of this book is the respiratory system, the breathing, and the approach to the process of breathing from a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual viewpoint.

The breath is related to such basic themes as “taking someone’s breath away” or “first take a deep breath.” There is a close link between breath and vitality.

Through the conscious cultivation of the breath, we can deacidify and detoxify the body, brighten our mood, lose or gain weight, massage our inner organs, optimise our circulation, sharpen our sensory perception and achieve inner bliss.

Incorrect breathing can cause a series of health disorders. Just as no chronic illness develops without digestive and liver problems, a shallow breath is also a contributing element. Conscious breathing allows patients to actively participate in their healing process.

Rosina Sonnenschmidt goes well beyond the usual understanding of breathing, which she conceptualizes as a complex system from the lungs right down to the level of the individual cells. She discusses common diseases of the airways from bronchitis, asthma and emphysema through to lung cancer. She thereby describes the underlying psychological conflicts that we need to recognize and that patients need to resolve to become healthy again at the physical level.

Topics include: What takes someone’s breath away? What makes someone long-winded, in the sense of having great stamina? The holistic treatment plan includes practical breathing exercises, important medicinal herbs such as thyme and sage, nutritional advice and aromatherapy oils.

In the final section of the book, devoted to homeopathy, tried-and-tested remedies are proposed for each type of conflict, such as Beryllium, Anisum, Laurocerasus, Malicum acidum, Teucrium, various nosodes and allopathic medicines in homeopathic form.