Breath and Language
Each language inculcates a different rhythm of breathing.
Try a prayer in Latin while being conscious of your breath. Then try the same in English.
To me, Latin is naturally deep and relaxed. English is naturally shallow and arhythmic.
Yogis have known this for a long time. Breath and mantras are linked in practice, and the phonemes and meter of sanskrit are seen as essential components to the practice.
Catholics have some intuitions of the breath and prayer connection. St. Ignatius briefly mentions linking the rhythm of breath to the Lords Prayer. But there is no mention of the language.
I haven’t seen people seriously discuss how different languages change the rhythm of breath. John Adams had an inkling of this. He wrote in his diaries that Latin oration stimulated the lungs and blood.
Considering how vital breath is for tuning the mind and body, it seems quite important. I wouldn’t be surprised if many cultural differences could be linked to differences in breathing patterns.
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