Éiriú-Eolas - Breathing Program

[Chad]

Just a quick report on my experiences starting EE:

My underlying condition;
I suffered some serious muscle injuries - whiplash ALL over, and other related side effects - after being ran off my pedal bike (and off the road) by an aggressive motorcyclist on my way to work.
Over all i knew i needed a technique from a reliable source that would be more likely to 'work' at healing my ailments.

I initially began EE last year, but didn't make it past the 1st CD (presuming i knew what 2 was going to be like! due to time and ignorance etc..). Also, i found the tension around my chest and stomach - due to the whiplash - extremely uncomfortable, such that if i held my breath in my diaphragm for long, i could feel very dizzy and even suffer mild feinting. I wasn't sure whether this was a restriction of oxygen/less capacity of lungs/trapped nerves...(this has mostly subsided healing with time, EE, diet etc..)

Experiences;
- Due to feeling light headed easily, and the tension around my torso/diaphragm, i HAVE to lie down to do this.
- I found the arm positioning descriptions vague

- Initially i breezed through it, though i was anxious it would go on too long and i wouldn't make it! With time i was surprised to find it had gone into the meditation and i could have continued. Though interestingly, 'confidence' and stamina are not always present and i have found myself literally gurning trying to keep up (always do and rarely miss a breath).
If i was doing this in a class, i wouldn't be embarrassed, but i would be concerned i would be a distraction!!

The 'oxygenation' feeling throughout my body was intense, trapped/stiff muscles would slide into a more correct position, or tense up where the muscle was twisted, popping sensations in the problem areas (good thing).

I felt like a hose pipe with a huge stone on the top about to pop.

Tremors; i think due to the current condition of my muscles, the spasms and tremors were rather intense around my wrists and ankles. More recently, my right wrist turned into a 'claw' for 10minutes. I know this is beneficial and just a side effect of the breathing, because my wrists suffered quite badly due to the injury.

Very clear mind afterwords, well, clear once i had eaten.

I was unbelievably hungry after it. (and couldn't help but chuckle when i came across this in the EE FAQ).

Although i am not currently doing it at per the Tues - Fri schedule, i incorporate the methods into my stretching routine, aswell as the 6-3-9 breathing in bed (i suffer from insomnia).

I badly related to Laura's descriptions of 'fashion breathing' (i'll call it ;D), it brought attention to the fact that i breathe very shallowly - due to childhood trauma and my impressionable idiocy - and this is a prime error on my part which perpetuates anxiety and the insomnia. Also quite the revelation!

Sidenote: I also thought it a perfect trick by tptb to 'shame' the public into light headedness by parading models doing the 'victoria's-secret-back-bend' (where they stamp their heels as they walk, whilst leaning so far back - sticking out their never moving 'tummy' - it looks like they'll fall backwards or break).

Scott Mandelker says in Chinese 'walking meditation' the most blissful method is to walk on your tip toes as lightly and rhythmically as possible. I speculate this strut walking may encourage more than just a swagger in ones walk..!

Conclusion:
Having done it irregularly for a while, with some of those on the 'scheduled' days (i appreciate this idea); I have benefited greatly from EE thus far.
My muscles feel lighter, 'cleared out', so do my lungs (i haven't done much cardio of late).
I rarely finish the DCM meditation without having to eat something! Usually ham :)
My stretching regime is amplified.
I was quite unsettled by the tremors, but i appreciate it's due to my condition and the pain-progress principle and it felt almost cathartic and 'earned'. [Gurning is earning? ;P]
No such emotional release as of yet, but i would probably expect some.
I did suffer a serious eye infection a day or so following a Monday practise recently - i know i had tight muscles round my eye socket and this loosening helped bring it about. (i stopped practise as was worried EE may 'push' the infection around and so locked myself in my room for 4 days, lay back, did shots of Golden Milk, essential oil eye washes and the like - it worked)
It is a surprisingly challenging and physical experience.

My aim - best achieved by ordering the CD! - will be to commit to a regular schedule.

 

[Corvus]

I've been on a good kick lately, and even started to get some weird effects like a feeling of pressure in my forehead, which others have reported.

If I may ask does it happens only during meditation(EE) or at other times also? I had that pressure for a long time. It started some years ago while doing meditation before EE was revived, and in every situation when trying to be consciouss, that is concentrated. I have it also now while reading. I managed to be totally calm in stress but think that I then forced it to much maybe then and from then having problems with keeping my neck calm(uncontrolable small shakes, especially in emotinal situations sometimes, like pressure is building, energy being stuck and needs way out - at least I see it that way), I thought it had something to do with nervs or maybe it has with stifness in muscles. I also thought about energy being blocked in that part in some way.

 

[s-kur]

Hello,friends!
I have a question:
can be at someone such occurred -
after an affirmation of the Prayer of Soul at me on a cheek appears feelings of tickle which wants to be scratched as though a point on which the fly, for example, but not such "sharp" sat down... it proceeds already 5 or the 6th time in a row, at the same moment... sometimes it can be suffered, and it stops, but appears again, and after the third attempt it any more doesn't work, I am obliged to scratch it
It looks very ridiculous, but, it doesn't allow me to plunge into a condition of deep meditation, actually.

 

[Nienna]

Hello,friends!
I have a question:
can be at someone such occurred -
after an affirmation of the Prayer of Soul at me on a cheek appears feelings of tickle which wants to be scratched as though a point on which the fly, for example, but not such "sharp" sat down... it proceeds already 5 or the 6th time in a row, at the same moment... sometimes it can be suffered, and it stops, but appears again, and after the third attempt it any more doesn't work, I am obliged to scratch it
It looks very ridiculous, but, it doesn't allow me to plunge into a condition of deep meditation, actually.

A lot of people have various tics, itches and such things while doing different portions of EE. We've found that the best thing to do is to scratch it and get it over with so that you can continue with whatever part of EE you are doing. By letting it continue, it makes you concentrate more on it than on what you are doing. Once you relieve the itch, or whatever, you can continue on. Sometimes you can do it without losing much of your concentration on what you are doing.

 

[s-kur]

A lot of people have various tics, itches and such things while doing different portions of EE. We've found that the best thing to do is to scratch it and get it over with so that you can continue with whatever part of EE you are doing. By letting it continue, it makes you concentrate more on it than on what you are doing. Once you relieve the itch, or whatever, you can continue on. Sometimes you can do it without losing much of your concentration on what you are doing.

I agree with you,Nienna!
When I don't stop it I think only about it, and still I should stop it later.
Logically, what sense to suffer if doesn't stop? )
But the only thing why I wrote about it because it almost each time and in the same point.
And the matter is that after EE performance I feel so cheerfulness and clarity of feelings and my mind, and the same cheerfulness gets into me after rippling(scrathing)
Unfortunately, it is impossible to do EE every day because I am engaged in work, I read also to the translation texts after the work at office, and I feel strong fatigue (laziness? ) .
But when it occurs constant at me there are very bright dreams connected with some moments from my life, and I would like to work with them, but I can't remember them in any way.
Maybe you have a council for this purpose, what work to me to carry out for improvement of memory of the dreams?
As sometimes after EE I accept melatonin, but not always!
Many thanks QFG, Laura and company for granting and studying of this program, it helps me and my acquaintance, as emotionally and physically! it is really wonderful thing!

 

[Nienna]

I can't offer much in the way of remembering your dreams better, though I'm fairly sure others here can.

As far as the itch/tickle always being in the same spot. There are times that our bodies "remember" things that happened to us long ago and they are kept in different places. This place that is bothering you could be something of that sort. I'd say, don't worry about it, let it keep doing what it's doing and, hopefully, it will eventually release whatever is being held there.

Don't think that you have to do the whole EE program every day. We, actually, say not to do it more than twice a week. However, you can do the pipe breathing any time you want. If you are feeling stressed, depressed, etc. do a few pipe breaths. You can do this anywhere. Once you become proficient at it, you will find that you can do it quietly (you don't have to constrict the glottis so much that you create a loud sound) even at your desk, in your car - anywhere. And, then, you can listen to the POTS every night when you go do bed.

 

[s-kur]

I can't offer much in the way of remembering your dreams better, though I'm fairly sure others here can.

As far as the itch/tickle always being in the same spot. There are times that our bodies "remember" things that happened to us long ago and they are kept in different places. This place that is bothering you could be something of that sort. I'd say, don't worry about it, let it keep doing what it's doing and, hopefully, it will eventually release whatever is being held there.

Don't think that you have to do the whole EE program every day. We, actually, say not to do it more than twice a week. However, you can do the pipe breathing any time you want. If you are feeling stressed, depressed, etc. do a few pipe breaths. You can do this anywhere. Once you become proficient at it, you will find that you can do it quietly (you don't have to constrict the glottis so much that you create a loud sound) even at your desk, in your car - anywhere. And, then, you can listen to the POTS every night when you go do bed.

it's a very substantial answer, Nienna thanks!

I will check searching on a forum "memory of dreams" value. And in exercises as I will tell about results as soon as they will appear.
If 2 times a week I implement the plan :D

And I already got skilled at to do pipe breathing almost silently and I apply it when it is necessary, it very much relaxes me and I soberly see things.
During POTS sometimes have such thing, what it seems to me as if between phrases passes about a minute or two as though either I fall asleep, or I am dipped into the casual reflections which are flying by in my head, but, having heard the phrase I'd come back, and pronounce (by the way, question:has value to tell these phrases mentally, or there is enough knowledge of their essence, value? my native language Russian, and Laura's words in English therefore I always pronounce "translation"? )

 

[Gawan]

Hi s-kur, regarding dreams I could recommend this topic for you: Dream Work.

(by the way, question:has value to tell these phrases mentally, or there is enough knowledge of their essence, value? my native language Russian, and Laura's words in English therefore I always pronounce "translation"? )

Do you mean that you are not sure if you could say the prayer in Russian to you? If you are looking for a translation here would be a topic: "The Prayer of the Soul" Translations where also Russian can be found. And speaking the phrases in your mind after Laura or with Laura lets you focus on it and occupies your mind, which would be the main goal of this specific prayer and try it out what suits you most.

 

[s-kur]

Do you mean that you are not sure if you could say the prayer in Russian to you? If you are looking for a translation here would be a topic: "The Prayer of the Soul" Translations where also Russian can be found. And speaking the phrases in your mind after Laura or with Laura lets you focus on it and occupies your mind, which would be the main goal of this specific prayer and try it out what suits you most.

Hello, Gawan!
I apologize for an inexact statement of a question :/
My question:i has to listen to the words in english which value is known to me?
or to pronounce them mentally?
I received the answer to the question,thank you!
POTS translation is available for me, I received it as soon as started EE
Best regards, s-kur

 

[987baz]

I had a really interesting experience last night while doing POTS. I had the usual tingling in the hands and feet from doing the pipe breath, then when doing POTS, this really weird thing happened, which at the time scared the heck out of me to be honest.

You know when you're almost asleep sometimes and your body twitches and shocks you back into being awake? it was kind of like that (although I was fully conscious), it was almost like getting zapped by one of those defibrillator paddles the emergency guys use, a massive shock right in the middle of my chest and I saw a glowing orange light. I was so stunned by the sensation and what sounded/felt like a zap/bang that i sat bolt upright and stopped doing POTS. Not sure what it was, has anyone else experienced anything like that?

 

[Altair]

I've beein doing EE for a couple of months and I'd like to share my experiences and ask a couplse of questions.
When doing 3-stage breathing I'm yawning which is a bit disturbing because I can't exhale then properly during 9 seconds. Am I doing something wrong? The hardest part for me is bioenergetic breathing, especially it's fast part: I used to get light-headed and must often stop the breathing. Is it normal reaction? Also I noticed that it much easier for me to exhale through nostrils during bioenergetic breathing. Is it crucial to exhale through the mouth or it doesn't play any role? The last question: do FOTCM members practice full EE program on Mondays and on Thursdays?

Many thanks for this wonderful breathing program! I can sleep well now and I feel me as a new-born :)

 

[Ennio]

I've beein doing EE for a couple of months and I'd like to share my experiences and ask a couplse of questions.
When doing 3-stage breathing I'm yawning which is a bit disturbing because I can't exhale then properly during 9 seconds. Am I doing something wrong?

Yawning during EE is not unusual - especially if you are winding down for the night and doing it shortly before sleep. The rythmic motions of three-stage breathing and physiologic effects of vagal nerve stimulation are deeply relaxing and may indicate to your mind and body that you are no longer focused on doing the things you normally associate with normal wakefulness. If you are doing the program right before sleep, you might try doing it a little earlier in the evening. Also, you might try getting more sleep in general and see if that effects the amount of yawning that occurs.

An interesting article on why we yawn: _http://sleepjunkies.com/features/why-do-we-yawn/

The hardest part for me is bioenergetic breathing, especially it's fast part: I used to get light-headed and must often stop the breathing. Is it normal reaction?

Yes, a little light headedness, and even a little numbness in your hands is perfectly normal. After all, we are not used to getting this amount of oxygen at one sitting.
Bioenergetic breathing takes a little time to get used to for these reasons so I would say, that if the light headedness is really uncomfortable, to try and build up to the three sets over time, or even consider skipping it altogether.

Also I noticed that it much easier for me to exhale through nostrils during bioenergetic breathing. Is it crucial to exhale through the mouth or it doesn't play any role?

Yes you want to exhale through the mouth. It is said that this induces left/right brain synchronization and will also be consistent with how you're breathing during all the other techniques.

The last question: do FOTCM members practice full EE program on Mondays and on Thursdays?

Yes. And you can do the pipe breathing and pots all week long. In fact it's encouraged :)

Many thanks for this wonderful breathing program! I can sleep well now and I feel me as a new-born :)

So glad to hear it Altair. Let us know how you are adjusting to things!

 

[Ollie]

I've beein doing EE for a couple of months and I'd like to share my experiences and ask a couplse of questions.
When doing 3-stage breathing I'm yawning which is a bit disturbing because I can't exhale then properly during 9 seconds. Am I doing something wrong?

Simple answer, no, I find myself in a similar situation. With a bit of practice, you may find that you are able to adjust your breathing so that the yawning occurs during the hold period, or, let the yawning happen where it is, and breath out at a different rate during the hold period. What is important is breathing in through the nose, constricted remember, and out through the mouth - and you may be able to do this through the yawn - saying ha.

The hardest part for me is bioenergetic breathing, especially it's fast part: I used to get light-headed and must often stop the breathing. Is it normal reaction?

Again, the answer is yes, quite normal for some people.

Also I noticed that it much easier for me to exhale through nostrils during bioenergetic breathing. Is it crucial to exhale through the mouth or it doesn't play any role?

It is preferable.

Just seen Ennio's post as I was reviewing this post, and provides greater detail in terms of explanation. Glad to see that you are enjoying EE.

Many thanks for this wonderful breathing program! I can sleep well now and I feel me as a new-born :)
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[davey72]

I have realized that i often also feel a pressure in the forehead,due to reading about it in this post. I have felt this without the breathing though, and thought that it was just the way i was concentrating. Like maybe i was tensing muscles, or something. Concentrating on it right now i can feel this pressure as i write this. It is always right in the center of my forehead.
Also, something i have observed in myself is a very strong (can't think of the right word) inclination not to fully belly breath. Not while doing EE, but i have learned to belly breath as a natural way to breath. I often notice that i am breathing shallowly, and it takes great effort to fully expand my belly. I do believe that it has to do with stress, and anxiety that is coming from a sedentary lifestyle for me. I haven't been doing a lot lately.

 

[herondancer]

I have realized that i often also feel a pressure in the forehead,due to reading about it in this post. I have felt this without the breathing though, and thought that it was just the way i was concentrating. Like maybe i was tensing muscles, or something. Concentrating on it right now i can feel this pressure as i write this. It is always right in the center of my forehead.
Also, something i have observed in myself is a very strong (can't think of the right word) inclination not to fully belly breath. Not while doing EE, but i have learned to belly breath as a natural way to breath. I often notice that i am breathing shallowly, and it takes great effort to fully expand my belly. I do believe that it has to do with stress, and anxiety that is coming from a sedentary lifestyle for me. I haven't been doing a lot lately.

Very good observations, davey72! Is there maybe a pattern to when you notice your stress and anxiety, versus being unaware of it? It might give you a clue to what things make you dissociate and what brings you back to yourself.