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Why optimal breathing?
Optimal breathing® is achieving our best natural breathing under all
circumstances, whether at rest or at play. Optimal breathing is an important element of
overall health as well as good natural vision. The
retina, if compared by weight, requires more oxygen than any other part
of the body. The brain requires lots of oxygen too, and because seeing
is largely a mental process, it follows that if there is insufficient
oxygen supply, our vision will be negatively affected. Conversely, an
abundant supply of oxygen to the eyes and brain will help us see better.
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All
healing originally resides in the human breathing system
Rudolf Steiner |
Natural vision and optimal breathing go hand in hand
One of the first people who came to me for vision improvement after my
optimal breathing development training was a lady whose breathing seemed very
restricted. I decided to teach her how to improve her breathing before
addressing her vision habits. After just a few minutes her breathing began
to loosen up, and she joyfully announced that she could already see an
extra line on the eye-chart behind me.
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Find
the cause of shallow breathing
What causes us to lose our natural breathing pattern?
This will differ for everyone, so here are some possible factors:
* Muscle tension from stress or holding on to emotions is often
the biggest factor. It can reduce rib cage flexibility
and/or diaphragm deterioration if left unresolved.
* One factor I notice many of us have in common is tight clothing.
We like to pull our belts tight, whether for fashion or to hide a
bulge. The result is a restriction of space for the abdomen
to move into when the diaphragm pushes down.
* Posture problems are definitely related to shallow breathing.
* Being overweight makes it harder for the diaphragm to move down
on an inhale.
* Air pollution, including using 'air fresheners' in the home,
other household chemicals, smoke and/or paint fumes can cause us
to instinctively restrict our breathing and can irritate the
lungs, which may lead to infections.
If any of these possible causes apply to you, then determine for
yourself if it is time to make some changes to help you return to
natural breathing. If you do, your whole life will be
enriched, not just your breathing or your vision. |
The blood chemistry of breathing: Acid/Alkaline
balance
Beside the mechanics of breathing, another factor to look into is the
alkaline/acid balance of the blood, because an overly acid pH will cause
a faster breath rate. The body automatically increases the expiration
of CO2 in an effort to return to proper alkalinity. If the cause of over-acidity
isn't addressed, the breath rate
will stay too high, despite any attempts to slow it down.
Relaxation and natural breathing
As with vision, breathing requires dynamic relaxation for optimal function.
- The more we relax as the diaphragm rises with each exhale, the more
used air is expelled and the easier and more efficient our next inhale
will be.
- The more our belly relaxes, the easier it is for the diaphragm to push
down so our lungs can fill fully with fresh oxygen.
- The more our intercostal and chest muscles relax, the more our ribcage
can expand with each inhale, allowing for a fuller breath.
- The more our back muscles relax, the more use we can
make of the full capacity of our lungs as they expand effortlessly in
all directions with each inhale.
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...
there is no absolute "correct" method of breathing; there is
only breathing coordination. The muscles and sets of muscles of
the human respiratory mechanism are designed to operate in a perfectly
coordinated synergism to give the individual the maximum breathing
efficiency of which he is capable and to give it to him with a minimum
expenditure of energy.
From 'Dr Breath, the story of breathing
coordination' by Carl Stough |
How can breathing be improved, besides relaxing more?
To release the often long-held tension in our bodies, and learn to relax
in our movements, it may help to take a few sessions with a breathing
coach. The breathing techniques I teach are safe, fast and make a real
difference in the ability to breathe fully and easily. I am an
Optimal Breathing© Development Specialist,
trained by Mike White, and I have also been trained in Authentic
Breathing™ techniques by Dennis Lewis. The following classes are
currently being offered:
Develop
your Breathing
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Private
Sessions on Breathing Development
Discover
your breathing patterns and learn techniques to develop your optimal
breath.
Cost: $80 per hour.
LOCATION: Woodland Hills and Los Angeles, California.
(Also check the Travel Schedule for other
locations.)
Please contact
Visions Of Joy for an appointment.
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Free
your Breath, Free your Life
I will be
assisting Dennis
Lewis, well known breathing coach and author of
'The Tao of Natural Breathing' and 'Free Your Breath, Free
Your Life'
with his 5 day workshop: Free
Your Breath, Free Your Life
held at Esalen
Institute in California, 11-16 May 2008.
To register contact
Esalen.
Free Your
Breath, Free Your Life
The ever-increasing speed, stress, and disharmony of the modern
world not only conditions us to a way of living in which the future
is often felt to be more important than the present, but also cuts
us off from the immediate experience of ourselves as living,
breathing beings. As a result, many of us live as unconscious,
breathless automatons, rushing faster than time itself into an
imaginary future, seldom present to the mystery and miracle of our
lives right now and here. Our breathing is so constricted and
incomplete that it undermines our health, our vitality, and our
consciousness. Such breathing also deprives us of one of the great
joys of living on this earth: the expansive sensation of a free,
easy, boundless breath that engages the whole of ourselves and opens
us to the miracle of "the breath of life."
Using ideas, insights, and
practices from his book Free Your Breath, Free Your Life, Dennis
Lewis will take you on a journey of presence into the physiology,
psychology, and spirituality of natural, boundless breathing. You
will learn and practice the seven basic self-directed ways of
working with the breath: conscious; controlled; focused;
movement-supported; position-supported; touch-supported; and
sound-supported breathing. Through safe, powerful exercises—as
well as through special movements, postures, sounds, meditations,
qigong practices, dialogue, and work with presence—you will learn
how to integrate conscious, whole-body breathing into your life to
support your health and your quest for self-realization. |
What about yogic breathing exercises?
Natural Breathing teacher Dennis
Lewis says it well in 'Free Your Breath, Free Your Life':
As the popularity of yoga continues to surge, breath-control exercises
are becoming increasingly popular. As useful and powerful as breath-control
exercises can be in well-defined situations, however, their indiscriminate
use can result in harmful biochemical and hormonal imbalances, affecting
not just the body but also the mind. What's more, exercises involving
breath holding and muscle tensing can over time result in restrictions
in our breathing muscles and tissues and undermine the harmonious coordination
required for healthy breathing. They can even damage the lungs through
overstretching of lung tissue. As Optimal Breathing teacher and therapist
Mike White points out: "Any breath-control exercise that we repeat
too often will bring about restrictions in our breathing."
Imagine
a world without trees...
It will take your breath away.
Testimonials received after Breathing
Development lessons:
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Well...I know it's a
little early on in the process to get too excited, but I finally
started doing the ten count method four days ago and can already
tell a difference. It isn't a perfect, linear improvement; stressful
days at work (or playing poker for 5 straight hours and losing
money:( will definitely take it's toll on your
breathing.
Overall, it has opened my eyes to my bad breathing habits...I hold
my breath a LOT, and I think I sacrifice mental clarity and
emotional stability by doing so.
Remember when I described how I freaked out during the straw
exercise? I did it again the other day after doing the count for 20
minutes straight, and didn't feel short of breath at all...great.
I know the results are going to take time, though. But the key is
that I have a positive EMOTIONAL connection with doing the
exercises: experiencing the difference in the way that I breathe
afterwards, small though it is, will ensure that I make a habit out
of it :)
I will keep you posted. Thanks for everything. I really feel that my
breathing problems have given me that "Killing a
mosquito with a sledgehammer feeling."
Best
Chip
Chip H, New York, New York
I have been doing my
Stough exercises for 10 minutes, between every other day and every
day. These days, I start out at about low forties and end up
in the fifties, which is obviously a significant improvement from
the low teens I was reaching at Esalen. Pretty exciting. It really
enables you to be more present.
Chip H, New York, New York
I just wanted to keep
you posted on how things have been. I definitely notice that during
times of stress, my breathing gets shallow and
"higher." I can't get over how amazing your
breathing was. The more time that goes by, the more aware I
become of the connection between a relaxed, limber body, a solid
breathing foundation, and a calm, clear mind.
Chip H, New York, New York
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My
breathing became so much easier,
Wow! I have more space in upper chest.
It opened the chest majorly, and opened the sides up; the
sides feel huge, nice.
I had a nice increase in lung volume, 4250 on Voldyne, which
is a quarter liter more than before.
I'm very happy, thanks!
Marjukka M, Mount Shasta, California |
"Feels like I now use all of
my body to breathe with!"
Adele S, New Paltz, New York |
Your session with me 10 months ago
has made an enormous difference. I was at 40% lung volume at
that time and could not walk upstairs without sounding like I had
just ran a marathon. Your techniques increased my lung volume
to 50% and it has held steady there, making breathing so much
easier, and climbing stairs is possible again. Thank you so
much, I hope to see you next time you're in this area
Gladys B, Berkeley, California |
My
aim was to improve/keep breathing during tense/critical
moments. After the session my posture has felt better, where
it should be. My breathing is more open up high, easier and
more volume, it goes up to the sinuses better.
I think that my
Pilates training has been
confusing my
breathing pattern.
Also, it's to do with
the pecking order.
If you're on top of the pack you get to breathe freely.
If you're wanting to hide behind others, have less
confidence, that equals less 'entitlement' to breathe, therefore
shallower breathing, and constriction.
So opening up the breathing gives me
more
self-confidence.
Craig
H, Salt Point, New York |
COOL!;
feels like I'm breathing in all of the lung now instead of a quarter
lung.
Cynthia C, Steuben, Maine (Cynthia
has asthma and had a very shallow breathing pattern ~ EJvdW) |
There's
a noticeable difference. It feels better and lighter; it's
easier to breathe into the belly, a definite improvement.
Lisa S, Accord, New York |
Last month when I first learned
your breathing techniques I couldn't feel my back move when
breathing, now it moves fine. I've been practicing the number
count and have improved a lot, from 60 to usually 150. I'm
able to breathe deeper without my shoulders moving up. I've
started sleeping on my back, which has made a big difference, I no
longer have a tight feeling in my chest when I wake up, nor any
shoulder pain. I'm happy with my new breathing awareness.
Nandi K, Newry, Maine (Nandi's
breath volume increased from 3800 to 4400ml during 3 sessions ~
EJvdW) |
My
breathing became smoother, more open and much deeper!
Cool. I notice a free flow of air in my back.
I'm very happy with the improvements.
I
was taught a yoga 'complete breath' but was never able to do
it, now it seems effortless.
I have easy long exhales now, and smoother breathing overall.
Chris W, Palmyra, Maine |
The man kindly taught her how to
breathe slowly and deeply from the abdomen, concentrating on a long
out-breath, letting the in-breath take care of itself. “It
will relax you,” he said. (from: ‘The Holy Man’
by Susan Trott)
I found this quote on the
website visionsofjoy.org in a desperate search for help on
breathing. My problem was, after my last ‘breathing
breakthrough’, I had been focussing too much on breathing.
As soon as I tried to inhale I realized that I could only take short
shallow breaths. This quote solved my problem. The key
is to relax the exhale as much as possible, and the inhale will just
happen. Trying to make it happen just tenses every muscle in
the upper body it seems.
Seeing Beauty's blog |
How do I know if my breathing is below par or not?
You can evaluate your own breathing by taking a free
breathing test. And you can check out the information put together by
Mike White, who is an expert on optimal breathing. He may also be able to recommend
a breathing coach in your area. Listed below are more breathing teachers
and their classes are well worth your time if you suspect you need some
help in returning to natural breathing patterns.
Reading suggestions
There are good books available on breathing development; see the list
on the books page.
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