Euphoria in a Breath!

I heard a story this morning on the radio about this drug NARCAN. It's shown to be successful in saving people from a Heroin overdose. There is some controversy about whether this drug should be distributed to users or not. A simple answer would be a question, "If it saves lives, why not?

But what really caught my attention was the discussion of how the opiates in Heroin connect with a receptor in the brain that induces euphoria, but this same receptor also sends a signal to the body to breathe really, really slowly. What happens sometimes is that the body actually just stops breathing. Thus a pleasing high turns into the Long Goodbye.

The thing that intrigues me is the idea that maybe breathing slowly in and of itself can also induce euphoria - without any deadly side effects. Isn't this the secret all those Yogis and Swamis and Buddhas and other assorted holy men and carnival barkers have been talking about for centuries?

Sit in silence and BREATHE! Slowly, attentively. Euphoria is right around the corner. Don't need no stinking drug pusher man, don't need no stinking witch doctor shoving pills my down throat! It's simple, clean, and free! By George, I think I got it!