Éiriú-Eolas - Breathing Program
- Thread starter Laura
- Start date
combsbt said:
Yes, I think the area of the throat that is "flexed" when you are making a "k" sound is not the area where the vagus nerve is located. At least when I just did it, it was using a different area than I used when doing the 'haaaa' sound. Of course I may be off or you could be having different results making the 'k' sound.
If you've ever had glasses, the exhale part of the exercise is roughly the same as when you are going to gently breath onto your lenses before cleaning them with a tissue. You just have to breath out with a bit more force. The same 'haaa' noise is produced, and for me at least, the same area of the throat is flexed. Maybe try doing the breathing with that in mind and see if it doesn't help.
D Rusak
Jedi Council Member
Hi-
Thanks Laura and SOTT for making this happen, and so quickly!
I just wanted to add my personal observations in doing the practice. I try to do this a couple of times a day, I would say it is 3-5 on average. I find it easiest to perform when lying down. When I do my morning and evening sessions I do three rounds of listening/breathing with the audio, which takes about 15 minutes total. I can't say I have noticed any huge changes emotionally or physically since starting this program. I have been tired for some time (had a really busy schedule this year; I also have been diagnosed has having depression/dysthymia this past year), I have found since starting the program I am sleeping much more, which also corresponds with the vast amounts of free time I find myself with these last 2-3 weeks. I do find that my eyes often tear up and become watery whilst performing the exercise. This does not really feel like crying to me, more how one's eyes tear up when one yawns or is tired. I feel pretty motivated to do these exercises and it is so convenient and easy just to put the sound track on and breathe along.
I did have some odd synchronicity with this- shortly before this breathing program was posted/discussed, I had started doing a breathing program designed for my musical instrument (I play several brass and woodwind instruments, and do some singing). It's quite different, more of an athletic workout really, called The Breathing Gym. Most of it I enjoyed as much of playing our instruments has to do with breath control, volume of air taken in, and efficiency, but I found that the exercises that involved rapid inhalation and exhalation left me feeling kind of funny, not quite with an out of body experience/euphoric feeling, but perhaps would get to something of that nature. I didn't feel comfortable doing these exercises so I left them out after 3-4 days of this. With 20+ exercises there are plenty more to work with- the whole program takes a good 50 minutes if all are done. They don't stipulate that you do all of them every day. Again, it's a pretty athletic approach, so what I have been doing is starting my day with Laura's program, and focusing on observation of my breathing process and seeing how I can relax/reduce tension. Then the "workout" comes later in my day doing the exercises, which I just do along, not concentrating as much on the nitty-gritty of the mechanics, just trying to keep the flow going.
In addition the day before the whole discussion about breathing started I attended a yoga class for the first time in a long time. I like to do yoga when I can but I've been super busy this past year, and I would say by no means I'm much more than a novice in terms of understanding. The class was vinyasa and the teacher recommended a couple of minutes into the session that we start ujjayi breathing for the remainder of the practice. I thought to myself, "What in tarnation is that?" The teacher told us to not worry about it if we were not familiar with it, just to set a pace for ourselves that was comfortable doing the same count out and in, ie, four counts in, four counts out, or something like that. And the next day all this was posted...quelle coincidence!
Thanks Laura and SOTT for making this happen, and so quickly!
I just wanted to add my personal observations in doing the practice. I try to do this a couple of times a day, I would say it is 3-5 on average. I find it easiest to perform when lying down. When I do my morning and evening sessions I do three rounds of listening/breathing with the audio, which takes about 15 minutes total. I can't say I have noticed any huge changes emotionally or physically since starting this program. I have been tired for some time (had a really busy schedule this year; I also have been diagnosed has having depression/dysthymia this past year), I have found since starting the program I am sleeping much more, which also corresponds with the vast amounts of free time I find myself with these last 2-3 weeks. I do find that my eyes often tear up and become watery whilst performing the exercise. This does not really feel like crying to me, more how one's eyes tear up when one yawns or is tired. I feel pretty motivated to do these exercises and it is so convenient and easy just to put the sound track on and breathe along.
I did have some odd synchronicity with this- shortly before this breathing program was posted/discussed, I had started doing a breathing program designed for my musical instrument (I play several brass and woodwind instruments, and do some singing). It's quite different, more of an athletic workout really, called The Breathing Gym. Most of it I enjoyed as much of playing our instruments has to do with breath control, volume of air taken in, and efficiency, but I found that the exercises that involved rapid inhalation and exhalation left me feeling kind of funny, not quite with an out of body experience/euphoric feeling, but perhaps would get to something of that nature. I didn't feel comfortable doing these exercises so I left them out after 3-4 days of this. With 20+ exercises there are plenty more to work with- the whole program takes a good 50 minutes if all are done. They don't stipulate that you do all of them every day. Again, it's a pretty athletic approach, so what I have been doing is starting my day with Laura's program, and focusing on observation of my breathing process and seeing how I can relax/reduce tension. Then the "workout" comes later in my day doing the exercises, which I just do along, not concentrating as much on the nitty-gritty of the mechanics, just trying to keep the flow going.
In addition the day before the whole discussion about breathing started I attended a yoga class for the first time in a long time. I like to do yoga when I can but I've been super busy this past year, and I would say by no means I'm much more than a novice in terms of understanding. The class was vinyasa and the teacher recommended a couple of minutes into the session that we start ujjayi breathing for the remainder of the practice. I thought to myself, "What in tarnation is that?" The teacher told us to not worry about it if we were not familiar with it, just to set a pace for ourselves that was comfortable doing the same count out and in, ie, four counts in, four counts out, or something like that. And the next day all this was posted...quelle coincidence!
Hi combsbt
As far as I can tell if you are getting tension in your head/neck/shoulders then you are breathing with the wrong muscles and not your diaphragm. This may well be the case with the tension in your upper chest too.....
The best way perhaps to test this is to try and focus more on the diaphragm breathing and see if this changes things? I do not think that any kind of tension should occur during the pipe breathing exercise.
As far as I can tell if you are getting tension in your head/neck/shoulders then you are breathing with the wrong muscles and not your diaphragm. This may well be the case with the tension in your upper chest too.....
The best way perhaps to test this is to try and focus more on the diaphragm breathing and see if this changes things? I do not think that any kind of tension should occur during the pipe breathing exercise.
combsbt
Jedi Master
RedFox said:
I am having a lot of trouble learning to breathe with the diaphragm as I seem to be ingrained with 'reverse breathing'. As far as I can tell this is also related to the surgery I had on my chest when I was twelve - pectus excavatum. I'm hoping that this tension i'm feeling is the constriction of the pharyngeal passage and not improper use of chest muscles as I am trying to avoid that. What is curious though is that one of the vagal exercises involves bearing down hard and constricting your chest muscles, so there is a bit of a different approach in this method of vagal nerve stimulation? Thank you for your input, I am trying to work this out so I am doing the breathing exercise in it's intended form.
A
andi
Guest
thkx Laura !
thkx Team !
thkx Forum'ers !
;)
thkx Team !
thkx Forum'ers !
;)
Gimpy
The Living Force
A dear friend of mine is currently going through a good deal of stress dealing with dysfunctional family members. I sent her links to the pipe breathing, and she's emailed me back to say that the breathing and having a cigar once a week are working wonders for her. :D :D :D
On my end? I'm being sent to the doctor to have my ticker checked. A precaution.
On my end? I'm being sent to the doctor to have my ticker checked. A precaution.
Green_Manalishi
Jedi Master
I hope i'm not wiseacreing. If yes please say so.
In relation to the count i can do something like 7-3-10-3, by this i mean that for me to really breath deeply i must do that count. Is this ok, can one adjust to his natural deep breathing pattern, maintaining the ratio?
Also i noticed that if i exhale through the nose, maintaining the constriction, i can do it much more slowly thus increasing even more the time i exhale, is this beneficial? When i did the exhaling through the nose, it was the only time i noticed the mentioned emotional response, a mixture of cry (sadness) and laughter, just something i can´t categorize. It almost makes me cry just of thinking of what i felt when breathing.
In relation to the count i can do something like 7-3-10-3, by this i mean that for me to really breath deeply i must do that count. Is this ok, can one adjust to his natural deep breathing pattern, maintaining the ratio?
Also i noticed that if i exhale through the nose, maintaining the constriction, i can do it much more slowly thus increasing even more the time i exhale, is this beneficial? When i did the exhaling through the nose, it was the only time i noticed the mentioned emotional response, a mixture of cry (sadness) and laughter, just something i can´t categorize. It almost makes me cry just of thinking of what i felt when breathing.
JonnyRadar
The Living Force
Rx said:
on your mac, hold the option key and click on the link. that will automatically put it into your "downloads" folder. or, hold "control" and click on the link, that will be like a right-click, then choose "save file as" and you can choose where you want to save it. either of those should work.
:)
EricG
Jedi
Rx said:
I guess you have a one mouse button so what you do is press CTRL + mouse click on the audio link. That brings up a menu window under the mousepointer. Choose save link as and then choose a location (i always choose the desktop) to save the file. Repeat for the other file.
Oops JonnyRadar allready explained how to do it
Hello
It is my Second day of using it .
I have lot of stressing situation at this moment in my live.
And Without this technique It may by worse.
I noticed that After I get lots of Stresses.. I us this technique 1 time per 12 round and after 5 mint next turn 12 round and .... then I have CALM , maybe "No emotion" decision I can make decision without this "stresses" barrier :) I have clear mind after breathing .
That help altos.
Thx for helping .
Lucas
It is my Second day of using it .
I have lot of stressing situation at this moment in my live.
And Without this technique It may by worse.
I noticed that After I get lots of Stresses.. I us this technique 1 time per 12 round and after 5 mint next turn 12 round and .... then I have CALM , maybe "No emotion" decision I can make decision without this "stresses" barrier :) I have clear mind after breathing .
That help altos.
Thx for helping .
Lucas
Green_Manalishi said:
Hi,
I was under the impression that we should be exhaling through the mouth, as that is what stimulates the vagus nerve. I know in the audio portion, Laura started us out exhaling through the nose, then switched to the mouth.
I could be wrong tho...
