So here it is your vocal toolbox. Most people don't know they have one, as I've said, it does exist, and it's a wonderful thing to open it and to become familiar with the tools inside. Here's the first one. Now, we've talked about breath before and obviously your voice is just breath, breath passing through your vocal cords being modulated by a series of complex muscles in the throat. And then in the head, and particularly, the mouth. That's all your voice is just breath.

Breath is at the root of so many spiritual paths. words for breath are very powerful. Words like ci, which means lifeforce and breath, or prana or numa their words which summarize the importance of breath, breath is life of course, along with water breathing is is the most important thing that we do. And taking a deep breath is something we really do these days. Now in the next chapter, you'll be learning a lot about how to enhance your breathing practices from Jay imagine de multiple World Champion Martial Artists and yoga expert on how to improve your breathing and give yourself more fuel, more power, more basis for your voice. We won't go into those right now for those reasons.

What I would just say is if you practice breathing, and particularly as you approach an important talk, it's an enormous antidote to nerves, any nerves you might feel if you speak in public, a deep breath is a wonderful antidote to all of those things. And generally, a good way of calming yourself as well as I think I've suggested earlier in the course, for those of you who are habitual interrupters. Taking a deep breath before you speak is a great habit to get into because it allows you To send to yourself and you may just notice the other person is still speaking. So breath is the first of the tools to pay attention to, to become familiar with to become a master of In fact, deep breaths, much more than we normally do. We normally breathe like a bird just to the top of our lungs, and that's not going to give you a powerful voice.

So get familiar with your breath and become a master