Éiriú-Eolas - Breathing Program

[aragorn]

Even though the subject about holding the breath was explained by Nomad and Laura, I just wanted to add that my teacher's advice was exactly the same. Not that I value his opinion more, but it was still interesting to hear his take on this. A few minutes ago I ended our phone conversation where explained the following:

After the inhaling the holding of the breath is achieved by closing the windpipe (glottis) and keeping energy/suspension in the diaphragm. The keeping of the energy in the diaphragm should not be done by tensing any muscles, inner or outer. It's more like a delicate inner feeling, since the diaphragm is to a high degree an nonvolitional "muscle". He described his own sensation when doing the holding as: "Well, I don't really actively think of closing the throat, the closure happens as a byproduct from keeping the energy in the diaphragm [keeping the diaphragm low]. I don't tense any muscles at all. The whole process shouldn't feel arduous. If it does, you are doing something wrong." Touché

He continued explaining that the theory goes that one can't absorb and utilize the "prana" effectively if there is tension in the muscles while holding the breath. Only when this is done in a completely relaxed manner can one get the full benefit of the procedure. He said that he has seen e.g. many expert yogis who have been trained in these breathing techniques, but who do the holding of the breath (kumbhak) incorrectly - keeping tension in chest and emergency breathing muscles.

Hope this helps and clarifies more than confuses :)

 

[slowone]

Even though the subject about holding the breath was explained by Nomad and Laura, I just wanted to add that my teacher's advice was exactly the same. Not that I value his opinion more, but it was still interesting to hear his take on this. A few minutes ago I ended our phone conversation where explained the following:

After the inhaling the holding of the breath is achieved by closing the windpipe (glottis) and keeping energy/suspension in the diaphragm. The keeping of the energy in the diaphragm should not be done by tensing any muscles, inner or outer. It's more like a delicate inner feeling, since the diaphragm is to a high degree an nonvolitional "muscle". He described his own sensation when doing the holding as: "Well, I don't really actively think of closing the throat, the closure happens as a byproduct from keeping the energy in the diaphragm [keeping the diaphragm low]. I don't tense any muscles at all. The whole process shouldn't feel arduous. If it does, you are doing something wrong." Touché

He continued explaining that the theory goes that one can't absorb and utilize the "prana" effectively if there is tension in the muscles while holding the breath. Only when this is done in a completely relaxed manner can one get the full benefit of the procedure. He said that he has seen e.g. many expert yogis who have been trained in these breathing techniques, but who do the holding of the breath (kumbhak) incorrectly - keeping tension in chest and emergency breathing muscles.

Hope this helps and clarifies more than confuses :)

WoW!!!! I was just going to post today about my dismay at the tension I now have almost permanently in my throat. It's so uncomfortable now that I am going to have to leave the pipe breath for a couple of sessions until it settles.

I know that I am doing the pipe breath incorrectly employing too much tension in the throat and glottis area, its made it almost impossible to practice now without continually swallowing to try and soften the throat. Also the tension is now there even when I'm not practising.

I'm going to do the programme without pipebreath until it softens off and then start again correctly. Any other tips would be great.

Thanks for the timely post. :)

 

[mocachapeau]

Hi everyone,

I'm not sure if this is necessarily related to the EE program but since it happened right after I did it, I thought it might be.

I've only done the complete program four or five times mainly due to time constraints and lack of space to do it without distractions, or disturbing someone else's sleep. But I have been doing pipe breathing and the POTS almost daily, for months. Last night, for the first time in a couple of months I did the whole program, and it was nothing short of exhilarating. I focused hard on the timing of the breaths and the proper use of the diaphragm and it all came together smoothly. When I reached the meditation stage, that tingling I get in the extremities was now all through my body, and quite strong. The first time I got that feeling it reminded me of the sensation of having poor circulation. But this time I realized that it is a much different feeling. It was more like my entire body was energized. And when I did the POTS I was so relaxed I could hardly believe it - I was able to focus on the prayer and the timing of the breaths with ease. So that part was amazing, and then I went to sleep and dreamed.

I don't remember all the details, but this is what I recall. I was walking out in a field with trees here and there, in the middle of nowhere really, and I seemed to be walking behind someone who was carrying a dead body and had the intention of burying it. I understood that they had killed the person and were now concealing the evidence. I don't recall feeling any particular emotions about the subject, I just seemed to be observing. What I find most disturbing is that I don't remember actually seeing anyone else there, which makes me wonder if it may have been ME that I was observing. It may have been like a strange perspective kind of thing, but I'm not sure about that.

The next thing I remember it was now a different day, and I had returned to the same place, trying to find where the body had been buried. But what I found was that the entire terrain had changed, leveled by construction machinery. I was walking on dried clumpy dirt, the trees were gone, the land was flat, and when I looked around I saw a bulldozer parked not far away. I was pretty sure this was about the same place, so I began scanning the ground around me. After a moment I saw a set of fingers sticking out of the ground. Looking some more I discovered another set, and another and another. They all seemed to be women's fingers and they were sticking out everywhere. I decided to get the heck out of there very quickly. But again, I'm not sure if I was worried because of what I had discovered, or of the fact that someone else might, or might already have, discovered it.

The next moment I remember I was entering the front door of a house, following someone inside. Upon entering, that someone ran frantically into the bedroom to the left, and somehow I was aware they were going for a gun. So I ran in the opposite direction, through the living room and into the kitchen. I grabbed some kind of object off the counter to use to try and defend myself, and then crouched down by the fridge. But as I did so, I noticed that my shadow was clearly splayed across the floor, in front of the doorway, for the other to see exactly where I was and what I was doing. So I gathered up my courage and charged into the living room, brandishing this object, with the hopes of gaining some advantage through surprise. When I turned the corner I found the person with the gun half raised, fumbling with it a little, on the other side of the room. I rushed at them and... I don't remember anything after that.

What struck me was that I wasn't having any kind of panicky reactions, no heart beating wildly or waking up in a sweat or anything like that - it just all happened. And I also had a strange feeling when I woke up that I had been a woman throughout the whole dream. I'm pretty sure I haven't seen any recent events or movies or TV shows that would set off this kind of thought process.

Well that was my experience, but I don't know quite what to think of it.

 

[Ollie]

It really is sounding like a LOT of folks are having some real, deep, significant changes happening in their lives. And this is only the beginning! The Cs were right, this can do in a few months what can otherwise take years (if ever).

I started this programme in July 2009, and have yet to experience these ‘real, deep, significant changes happening in their lives.’ I’m still hanging on, stubbornly refusing to let go! This is the BIG ISSUE for me – something that I was unaware of before starting this programme. The Predator’s mind, or another small ‘I’ doesn’t want me to experience this yet. My few months are now at seven – I know, it will happen when the time is right! Patience is an important lesson, too, one that I’m learning. Patience is a virtue, or so they say! :)

So what of this week’s experiences of doing the three stage breathing and PotS whilst listening to Laura on the tape, Monday and Thursday evening and in the mornings. It has been a battle of the tears and yawning as soon as Laura starts to talk on the PotS, and with no zoning out. Something is happening with the tears and the Predator’s mind is trying to oppose it with the yawning. Well at least that’s progress for me. :)

 

[aragorn]

I realized the other day that I really haven't given any updates on my progress and experiences with the EE-program. Since it is a recommended thing to do, I will try to briefly summarize my epxeriences.

I started doing the EE last August. The first few weeks I was doing it very intensively and often I did the whole program. I sort of jumped in doing it "full scale" partly because I was feeling confident and self important with my experience doing other breathing exercises, bioenergetic breathing etc. Haha, this self importance was soon to be revealed in my "advice" I was giving in this thread. Well, seeing that now this was a good thing and gradually led to the revealing of my narcissistic traits. But getting back to describing the actual experiences, I remember that there was pretty quickly a sensation of the "inner chatter" subsiding. And one of the things that improved also was a clearer picture of what I actually want from my life.

But there was of course the issue of me doing the EE slightly wrong. The first months I breathed in through the mouth in the Ba-ha portion. This was because I was ignorant of the fact that what I learned elsewhere did not apply here - lazy me. As we briefly talked about this with Laura in this thread, when you breathe in through the mouth in the 'round breathing' you are working with and releasing the trauma and tension stored in the tissue/muscles. This is of course a good thing. But the EE is designed, or that is my understanding, to do so much more than that! As we have learned, breathing through the nose in the 'round breathing' is essential.

Which brings me to the fact, that in the first two months I was seeking "dramatic" muscular sensations that would release trauma. Having seen my bioenergetic therapist almost for two years prior to that, with whom we did extremely intense 'body work' and trauma releasing, there wasn't that much to release anymore - not in the tissue. So, I kind of hit a wall doing the EE, because I was doing and seeking the wrong thing. Luckily, the subject of the proper inhaling came up, and I changed my procedure.

Ever since I changed to breathing in through the nose (2 months ago?) things have felt different. First of all the whole program was easier to do in this way, and I also felt that I didn't have to accomplish or 'push through' anything. The effects were more subtle. I started paying more attention to what I ate, and suddenly I was eagerly reading books about nutrition like the UMS by Hyman. And most importantly, in a short period of time I succeeded in revealing and throwing out this nasty narcissistic energy I had in me - this was life changing!!!

It is hard to remember all the effects the program has had, since I haven't kept a journal. And since I've been doing other 'body work' stuff on the side, it is difficult for me to say which "knot" was opened by what. But that doesn't really matter, because what is most important to me is that the EE is one of my "best friends" right now, which I can really rely on at any time; I can practise it any time I like and the threshold to do it with the use of the audio recording is very low. And as a bonus, my singing technique has really gotten a boost out of doing the EE. Technical details and problems have in a strange way crystallized into clear solutions. Plus that since I learned the proper technique of holding the breath in the pipe breathing, my breathing technique has really improved - just in a few days!

On a normal week I do the POTS almost every night, the whole program 2 or three times, and other parts of the program I do maybe 5 to 6 times a week. Due to my irregular working pattern I don't always have a chance of doing the program on Mondays and Thursdays. Well, actually I probably could, but on evenings when I have a performance I come home so late that I just don't have the will or energy to do it. Most of the time I do the program while lying in bed, but I've decided that i will start to do more of it in a sitting position. It's all a matter of organizing and prioritizing. :)

 

[RedFox]

What struck me was that I wasn't having any kind of panicky reactions, no heart beating wildly or waking up in a sweat or anything like that - it just all happened. And I also had a strange feeling when I woke up that I had been a woman throughout the whole dream. I'm pretty sure I haven't seen any recent events or movies or TV shows that would set off this kind of thought process.

Well that was my experience, but I don't know quite what to think of it.

Hi mocachapeau
I am no way any kind of expert on this, but Laura did mention that the program (especially the round breathing part I think) can bring up not just things from this life, but past life traumas too. Things that have been left over that need healing.
Having said that, even if it wasn't a past life memory it does seem as though something was being processed from an observer point of view. Perhaps it is about the real you being buried by your predator...and fighting to regain control? :)

 

[manitoban]

What struck me was that I wasn't having any kind of panicky reactions, no heart beating wildly or waking up in a sweat or anything like that - it just all happened. And I also had a strange feeling when I woke up that I had been a woman throughout the whole dream. I'm pretty sure I haven't seen any recent events or movies or TV shows that would set off this kind of thought process.

Well that was my experience, but I don't know quite what to think of it.

Hi mocachapeau
I am no way any kind of expert on this, but Laura did mention that the program (especially the round breathing part I think) can bring up not just things from this life, but past life traumas too. Things that have been left over that need healing.
Having said that, even if it wasn't a past life memory it does seem as though something was being processed from an observer point of view. Perhaps it is about the real you being buried by your predator...and fighting to regain control? :)

I had the same impression as Redfox, and this dream may well relate to you fighting your predator. The bulldozer may be a clue:

"To see a bulldozer in your dream, suggests that you are feeling pushed away from what you want. Or that you are being diverted away from the path toward your goals. You may be feeling helpless and bullied."

And seeing the fingers sticking out -

"To dream that your fingers are injured or have been chopped off, denotes your anxieties about your ability to accomplish some demanding task or perform in some waking situation"

Sounds like dealing with the predator doesn't it?

The issues in the dream may represent your growing awareness through observation of how the predator can indeed divert us from our true path. That you were possibly a woman in the dream could be somehow about the intuitive side of yourself, that is needed to fight the predator.

just some thoughts, (as always, may be off) fwiw.

 

[theos]

I started this programme in July 2009, and have yet to experience these ‘real, deep, significant changes happening in their lives.’ I’m still hanging on, stubbornly refusing to let go! This is the BIG ISSUE for me – something that I was unaware of before starting this programme. The Predator’s mind, or another small ‘I’ doesn’t want me to experience this yet. My few months are now at seven – I know, it will happen when the time is right! Patience is an important lesson, too, one that I’m learning. Patience is a virtue, or so they say! :)

I have the same thoughts Trevrizent. I read of other's significant happenings or shamanic type experiences and I think "hey, why not me?" Then I must remind myself that things will unfold as they will.

I've had a big decrease in yawning and leaky eyes and I've noticed somewhat of an increase in zoning out, especially Monday (or was that Tuesday?) Once I started the ba-ha I would drift in and out of zoning all the way to the end of the POTS. I also notice that I've been waking in the middle of the night recently. Before, I'd sleep like a baby.

 

[manitoban]

I started this programme in July 2009, and have yet to experience these ‘real, deep, significant changes happening in their lives.’ I’m still hanging on, stubbornly refusing to let go! This is the BIG ISSUE for me – something that I was unaware of before starting this programme. The Predator’s mind, or another small ‘I’ doesn’t want me to experience this yet. My few months are now at seven – I know, it will happen when the time is right! Patience is an important lesson, too, one that I’m learning. Patience is a virtue, or so they say! :)

I have the same thoughts Trevrizent. I read of other's significant happenings or shamanic type experiences and I think "hey, why not me?" Then I must remind myself that things will unfold as they will.

Yeah, and one thing to remember is things could well be happening below the surface, so to speak. Each one of us may experience the "clearing' in our own unique way. You may be deeply changing at a level that isn't totally apparent yet, but will be. I have found myself that the shamanic type experiences were much stronger at the beginning and now have decreased. I'm not seeing babies, people, plants or anything else at the moment. What I am experiencing though, is a state of almost exhilaration during the program, and a deeper sense of calmness then I've ever known.

 

[StandingOnTheEdge]

It came to my consciousness just the other day. I no longer have a piece of me inside that was my 'pocket of grief'. I'm happy. I an beginning to accept things as they are. Indeed, I do still grieve for that which appropriately calls for it...the sad news of friend's lives, hearing of friends and relatives contracting cancer, the way the world is going, etc. But the constant, just under the skin gnawing of sorrow, mostly for myself, isn't there. Inner noise has quietened.

And I thank you for sharing this wonderful knowledge. May we soon sing together.

 

[JonnyRadar]

It came to my consciousness just the other day. I no longer have a piece of me inside that was my 'pocket of grief'. I'm happy. I an beginning to accept things as they are. Indeed, I do still grieve for that which appropriately calls for it...the sad news of friend's lives, hearing of friends and relatives contracting cancer, the way the world is going, etc. But the constant, just under the skin gnawing of sorrow, mostly for myself, isn't there. Inner noise has quietened.

And I thank you for sharing this wonderful knowledge. May we soon sing together.

That is truly good news.

:D :D

 

[vinny]

So what of this week’s experiences of doing the three stage breathing and PotS whilst listening to Laura on the tape, Monday and Thursday evening and in the mornings. It has been a battle of the tears and yawning as soon as Laura starts to talk on the PotS, and with no zoning out. Something is happening with the tears and the Predator’s mind is trying to oppose it with the yawning. Well at least that’s progress for me. :)

It sounds as though something is going on with those tears. Perhaps this is an opportunity to really pay attention to any feelings that might be trying to get out, and just let them 'be'. There is nothing wrong with them, and they may need some form of expression to naturally be allowed to come out. I'm just guessing here, so forgive me if I'm wrong, but it could be that you have a habit of repressing or hiding emotions from yourself? and that this defensive wall has become 'softened up'. I too had the yawning/feeling tired thing for a while when I was starting to reach things that I had always hidden away (and also when reading Beelzebub's tales - that was a shock to the automatic thinking, and my mechanical brain didn't like it!)

 

[Mrs.Tigersoap]

About the yawning and leaky eyes:

FWIW, when someone starts to work on people in kinesiology (and probably in other techniques as well), he usually experiences a lot of yawning and leaky eyes. We are told that it is because we are integrating the work that is done on the client, just as much as he is. It is even a bit embarrassing, all that yawning (it can be very strong and very loud) and wiping of the eyes when people don't know what's going on. Once we have worked more and on a lot of issues, the yawning and leaky eyes subside. If I work with a client on brand new stuff, or in a novel way, there it goes again, I yawn like I'm haven't slept in days.

So, maybe here also, it is a question of the body integrating new work being done on it?

BTW, other signs that the body is processing work are shivers, feeling very cold, stomach (loud) noises, etc. So I guess these could be present with the EE as well.

 

[Ollie]

So what of this week’s experiences of doing the three stage breathing and PotS whilst listening to Laura on the tape, Monday and Thursday evening and in the mornings. It has been a battle of the tears and yawning as soon as Laura starts to talk on the PotS, and with no zoning out. Something is happening with the tears and the Predator’s mind is trying to oppose it with the yawning. Well at least that’s progress for me. Smiley

It sounds as though something is going on with those tears. Perhaps this is an opportunity to really pay attention to any feelings that might be trying to get out, and just let them 'be'. There is nothing wrong with them, and they may need some form of expression to naturally be allowed to come out. I'm just guessing here, so forgive me if I'm wrong, but it could be that you have a habit of repressing or hiding emotions from yourself? and that this defensive wall has become 'softened up'. I too had the yawning/feeling tired thing for a while when I was starting to reach things that I had always hidden away (and also when reading Beelzebub's tales - that was a shock to the automatic thinking, and my mechanical brain didn't like it!)

Thank you Nomad, that is encouraging - my feelings are totally dissociated from an early childhood event (mentioned elsewhere in posts) - defensive wall becoming 'softened up', and 'starting to reach things that I had hidden away. Now that is progress! :D

FWIW, when someone starts to work on people in kinesiology (and probably in other techniques as well), he usually experiences a lot of yawning and leaky eyes. We are told that it is because we are integrating the work that is done on the client, just as much as he is. ...

So, maybe here also, it is a question of the body integrating new work being done on it?

Thank you Mrs Tigersoap, more encouragement re personal integration, progress indeed! :D

 

[mocachapeau]

Hi mocachapeau
I am no way any kind of expert on this, but Laura did mention that the program (especially the round breathing part I think) can bring up not just things from this life, but past life traumas too. Things that have been left over that need healing.
Having said that, even if it wasn't a past life memory it does seem as though something was being processed from an observer point of view. Perhaps it is about the real you being buried by your predator...and fighting to regain control? :)

I had the same impression as Redfox, and this dream may well relate to you fighting your predator. The bulldozer may be a clue:

"To see a bulldozer in your dream, suggests that you are feeling pushed away from what you want. Or that you are being diverted away from the path toward your goals. You may be feeling helpless and bullied."

And seeing the fingers sticking out -

"To dream that your fingers are injured or have been chopped off, denotes your anxieties about your ability to accomplish some demanding task or perform in some waking situation"

Sounds like dealing with the predator doesn't it?

The issues in the dream may represent your growing awareness through observation of how the predator can indeed divert us from our true path. That you were possibly a woman in the dream could be somehow about the intuitive side of yourself, that is needed to fight the predator.

just some thoughts, (as always, may be off) fwiw.

I think you both may be right about the subject of fighting the predator, because what I am struggling with at the moment is integrating the practices I've learned through the Work, into my life. Acquiring the knowledge is the easy part, for me, but when it comes to the "doing" I find there are a lot of obstacles. Sure, time constraints are a part of it, family responsibilities and other things - they're very real and time consuming - but I think I may be just avoiding making certain changes in my daily routine, sticking with what's easy and what I know. And this leads to letting those obstacles function as barriers, in my mind, because something inside me is finding these changes difficult. I guess that's the predator. Maybe they're not so difficult but the predator is convincing me that they are.

But I have made more effort in all of this than I have with anything else in a long time. I cut out coffee completely - I used to have one in bed every morning in order to get my eyes open. This has also prompted me to get to bed at a more decent hour, and I only drink tea now. I've eliminated fluoride. I buy as much organic food as I can afford, and I've lost about fifteen pounds in the last couple of months (I was about 20 pounds over my ideal weight).

But I need to get back to more regular detoxing and EE sessions. And I still need to go farther with the diet. That's where I'm struggling. That struggle is actually the reason why I haven't sent in my application for the Fellowship yet. I don't feel like I am actually "doing" it well enough to feel like I should be a member. Is it silly to think that way?