Éiriú-Eolas - Breathing Program

[Infiniteness]

Hi Alana,

Hi Infiniteness.

If you notice, Laura says in the video that she will exaggerate the noise so that it can be heard. But in my experience, and watching others learning pipe breathing, most often the inhalation doesn't sound as loud as Laura makes it sound.

Do you hear even a faint hhhhh sound when you inhale? It also seems that you are more concerned about the inhalation, so i will assume that you feel that you are doing the exhalation correctly, right? If that's so, try this: while you exhale with the haaaaa sound, stop yourself, close your mouth, and start inhaling through the nose holding that same sensation you had in your throat during the haaaaa exhalation part. Try this, and let me know. Also let me know if the way i describe what to do is clear enough.

I do hear a faint hhhh, but with other noises too (maybe because of the allergies that I have) . Yes I do feel that I am doing the exhalation correctly. I did what you have told me to do and I do hear a very faint hhhh sound, yes what you have said is clear :D. I can upload some sound clips onto youtube and post it here, so you can here how I sound, if I can do that?

First, you don't sound like you are ranting, you are asking clarification to make sure you do it correctly. That's perfectly appropriate. You do however sound frustrated, which goes against the purpose of the program, which is to relax you. Perhaps is not so much to do with the breathing, but the other frustrations that you speak about below?

Yes, it sounds that most of us are going through rough times at the moment. I am not sure what it is, but if you watch what's going in general in the world, everybody seems to be affected by negative events, except the psychopaths who create them. For us, what's best at the moment, is to keep at doing all the things that help our bodies, minds and spirits deal with the chaos that surrounds us and sometimes is found within us too. So keep up your EE practice, and follow the diet guidelines that are highlighted in the Diet & Health section of the forum. Remember that with will and perseverance, this too shall pass.

I hope you don't mind me sharing a joke with you i recently came across, at the EE forum actually. It has a valid point, and it helped lighten my mood when i read it, i hope it helps you too:

A student went to his meditation teacher and said, "My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I'm constantly falling asleep. It's just horrible!"

"It will pass," the teacher said matter-of-factly.

A week later, the student came back to his teacher. "My meditation is wonderful! I feel so aware, so peaceful, so alive! It's just wonderful!"

"It will pass," the teacher replied matter-of-factly.

Keep us posted of your process, Infiniteness :)

Yes the things that are happening around the world and some personal issues are also making me frustrated, but I am working through them. Yes I do the POTS everyday and will continue doing the EE program too. I am also working on my diet added many vitamins and minerals, but still need to weed out some of the toxic food that I still take in. Thanks for sharing the joke. :)

 

[Gertrudes]

Sometimes it seems like I am making the correct sound, but it feels like I am putting to much energy into it to make the sound. I know it sounds like a rant(sorry), but Ive gotten pretty frustrated and angry at myself because I cant get it. Maybe I am blocking my self like the Cs said and not putting my all in to it, but I dont feel that way. Lately Ive been feeling really depressed and just seems like I'm losing it, it also seems like many other forum members are feeling this way too. Well I received my EE package today, so I will watch the whole thing and pay close attention. Any advice would be great full.

Hi Infiniteness,

Alana gave you very good suggestions already.
The parts in bold made me think that you could perhaps be forcing the hhhhhh sound. Sometimes, we can block ourselves by forcing or over focusing on something :), I'm not sure if that's what's happening with you, but these were my thoughts. The fact that you have been feeling depressed could likely be playing a role in your difficulties.
You could perhaps try to allow the breath to flow smoothly, with a sense of ease. Pipe breath isn't something that will come naturally to us, we have to learn it. Personally, while learning how to pipe breath I have tried to keep it within my comfort zone, so that I can progress more naturally without having the feeling that I am pushing my body to do something that it feels as highly unnatural. The unnatural feeling does happen once an a while, but it helps me to learn how to prevent it.

It is my understanding that we can approach pipe breath in several ways, at times adding a more vigorous dynamic to it, at other times barely making any sound apart from a gentle hhhhhh, in both cases making sure we feel the constriction in the throat which stimulates to the vagus nerve. I think I also recall Laura mentioning in on of the EE cds that with practice one could make the pipe breath almost inaudible.
Just a few thoughts fwiw.


An update on EE:
Lately I have been trying the whole program lying down and it is having a positive difference. I feel that it is much easier for me to fully expand my abdomen and relax. I do tend to go to a dream like state very often during Ba Ha though, and I don't think it is zoning out.
However, sometimes I think that I should just give in, allow myself to enter this dream like state and see what happens. As soon as I notice myself becoming sleepier or entering the dreamy state I tend to fight it. I think I'll experiment not to.

Edit: clarification

 

[Infiniteness]

Sometimes it seems like I am making the correct sound, but it feels like I am putting to much energy into it to make the sound. I know it sounds like a rant(sorry), but Ive gotten pretty frustrated and angry at myself because I cant get it. Maybe I am blocking my self like the Cs said and not putting my all in to it, but I dont feel that way. Lately Ive been feeling really depressed and just seems like I'm losing it, it also seems like many other forum members are feeling this way too. Well I received my EE package today, so I will watch the whole thing and pay close attention. Any advice would be great full.

Hi Infiniteness,

Alana gave you very good suggestions already.
The parts in bold made me think that you could perhaps be forcing the hhhhhh sound. Sometimes, we can block ourselves by forcing or over focusing on something :), I'm not sure if that's what's happening with you, but these were my thoughts. The fact that you have been feeling depressed could likely be playing a role in your difficulties.
You could perhaps try to allow the breath to flow smoothly, with a sense of ease. Pipe breath isn't something that will come naturally to us, we have to learn it. Personally, while learning how to pipe breath I have tried to keep it within my comfort zone, so that I can progress more naturally without having the feeling that I am pushing my body to do something that it feels as highly unnatural. The unnatural feeling does happen once an a while, but it helps me to learn how to prevent it.

It is my understanding that we can approach pipe breath in several ways, at times adding a more vigorous dynamic to it, at other times barely making any sound apart from a gentle hhhhhh, in both cases making sure we feel the constriction in the throat which stimulates to the vagus nerve. I think I also recall Laura mentioning in on of the EE cds that with practice one could make the pipe breath almost inaudible.
Just a few thoughts fwiw.


Edit: clarification

Hi Gertrudes,

Yes Alana did give good suggestions and I will use them. I will try to just not force the sound and just do it has natural as possible as you have suggested. Practice makes perfects.

 

[SeekinTruth]

Hi, Infiniteness. Alana and Gertrudes gave good guidance. I just wanted to remind that on the exhale it's very similar to "putting moisture on your glasses." So you just need some attention to get that slight constriction in the throat. And on the inhale try to have the same type of constriction. When putting moisture on your glasses it is a pretty gentle hhhaaahh sound. If you sound like a snake hissing , it would be overdoing it. So the inhale should have the same feel for the amount of constriction.

 

[Ollie]

The difference this week, compared with last week is – nothing else happened, mind-bodywise – wet eyes whilst listening to Laura, during the three-stage breathing, as well as with PotS.

 

[truth seeker]

This has probably been mentioned many times already, but just in case (I don't remember, this thread is so long! ). I notice a difference in the effectiveness of EE when coupled with diet and reading. There have been times when I've felt a pressure in one area or another and within half an hour of doing some reading I felt a definite shift. While it may not have cleared up completely, there was some movement enegy wise.

 

[Rhys]

I find that I am zoning out during POTS consistently this week. I don't even need to do any Round Breathing beforehand, which would normally have to happen to get this effect in my case. Although, there is a high chance that I am actually microsleeping due to lack of rest lately.

Monday's session was short, but during the POTS, I experienced a strong sensation of 'rushing' downwards and upwards at the same time. It felt like quick pulsing waves travelling through my body with a magnetic-like pull in both directions. The pulling wasn't concentrated in any part of my body, it was uniform throughout. The closest thing to it would be the experience of dropping on a rollercoaster.

I am coping with things much better this week (I had not done a full EE program for 3 weeks previously) and I am noticing more programs and attitudes that I need to work with, too.

Pipe Breath has helped me cope with what would have otherwise been a tremendous amount of stress this week. As well as dealing with personal turmoil, I have been deeply saddened by the oil spill and am very nervous about its disaterous consequences. I would say Pipe Breath is instrumental in keeping me centred and aware at this time:)

 

[dugdeep]

This has probably been mentioned many times already, but just in case (I don't remember, this thread is so long! ). I notice a difference in the effectiveness of EE when coupled with diet and reading. There have been times when I've felt a pressure in one area or another and within half an hour of doing some reading I felt a definite shift. While it may not have cleared up completely, there was some movement enegy wise.

Hi truth seeker. I'm wondering what specifically you're reading? I ask because I don't think I've ever felt any sort of physical energy shift like you're describing from reading and I'm wondering if the material may be a catalyst.
Thanks :)

 

[truth seeker]

This has probably been mentioned many times already, but just in case (I don't remember, this thread is so long! ). I notice a difference in the effectiveness of EE when coupled with diet and reading. There have been times when I've felt a pressure in one area or another and within half an hour of doing some reading I felt a definite shift. While it may not have cleared up completely, there was some movement enegy wise.

Hi truth seeker. I'm wondering what specifically you're reading? I ask because I don't think I've ever felt any sort of physical energy shift like you're describing from reading and I'm wondering if the material may be a catalyst.
Thanks :)

For me this has happened over a few months, but usually it was forum related like the books on the recommended reading list (books on narcissism etc). Sorry if that was confusing. My current take on it is that it's the influx of knowledge that helps with it in addition to diet and the EE. I may be off on this though.

 

[anart]

For me this has happened over a few months, but usually it was forum related like the books on the recommended reading list (books on narcissism etc). Sorry if that was confusing. My current take on it is that it's the influx of knowledge that helps with it in addition to diet and the EE. I may be off on this though.

I think this is definitely the case - it all works together. The diet and EE help heal the body/emotions/mind and continual knowledge input is vital to grow awareness - and - knowledge input is more efficient when the diet and EE help 'clear the channel' a bit. That's my understanding at least.

 

[anart]

I find that I am zoning out during POTS consistently this week. I don't even need to do any Round Breathing beforehand, which would normally have to happen to get this effect in my case. Although, there is a high chance that I am actually microsleeping due to lack of rest lately.

I've definitely noticed that if I'm under a lot of stress ( be it physical or emotional ) I zone out really quickly during POTS. Under normal circumstances I don't, so, for me, at least, there is a correlation there.

 

[vinny]

For me this has happened over a few months, but usually it was forum related like the books on the recommended reading list (books on narcissism etc). Sorry if that was confusing. My current take on it is that it's the influx of knowledge that helps with it in addition to diet and the EE. I may be off on this though.

I think this is definitely the case - it all works together. The diet and EE help heal the body/emotions/mind and continual knowledge input is vital to grow awareness - and - knowledge input is more efficient when the diet and EE help 'clear the channel' a bit. That's my understanding at least.

yup, that's my understanding too. These things all work together. It really underlines the importance of paying attention in all aspects of our lives - everything is interconnected and has the potential to affect everything else, either positively or negatively.

 

[dugdeep]

Right, of course - increasing knowledge in conjunction with dietary changes and EE. It's what's been said all along, really. I just had a moment where I thought there might be specific material, like something the C's said, that lead to an energy shift of some kind. But I see now that it could only be increasing one's objective knowledge, as a whole, not some kind of "magic text"

Thanks for the clarification, all.

 

[Rhys]

I find that I am zoning out during POTS consistently this week. I don't even need to do any Round Breathing beforehand, which would normally have to happen to get this effect in my case. Although, there is a high chance that I am actually microsleeping due to lack of rest lately.

I've definitely noticed that if I'm under a lot of stress ( be it physical or emotional ) I zone out really quickly during POTS. Under normal circumstances I don't, so, for me, at least, there is a correlation there.

Thanks for the input Anart. FWIW, I zoned out for at least 30mins at work this afternoon after doing Round Breathing and POTS (I was struggling against this happening as I could tell it was approaching!). Thankfully I was the only one in the building at the time Maybe the zoning is an essential component of a 'stress cleanse'? Has anyone else found this?

 

[SeekinTruth]

I find that I am zoning out during POTS consistently this week. I don't even need to do any Round Breathing beforehand, which would normally have to happen to get this effect in my case. Although, there is a high chance that I am actually microsleeping due to lack of rest lately.

I've definitely noticed that if I'm under a lot of stress ( be it physical or emotional ) I zone out really quickly during POTS. Under normal circumstances I don't, so, for me, at least, there is a correlation there.

Thanks for the input Anart. FWIW, I zoned out for at least 30mins at work this afternoon after doing Round Breathing and POTS (I was struggling against this happening as I could tell it was approaching!). Thankfully I was the only one in the building at the time Maybe the zoning is an essential component of a 'stress cleanse'? Has anyone else found this?

Well the only thing I can say is that I zoned out MUCH more last summer and fall that I've been the last 3 or 4 months. But whenever I do zone out now it's much shorter periods and I haven't noticed a particular correlation to being stressed yet. But I'll pay more attention and see if that's when I'm zoning.

My general understanding is that when we're zoning we're "spending time with out higher selves" and can't seem to bring anything back to normal consciousness from the experience. Laura explained it like that when the program had was new and people were discussing their zoning experiences. It relates to what Gurdjieff said in ISOTM that if a normal man should make contact with the higher centers -- higher levels of consciousness -- it would seem to him as if he lost consciousness. It seems that we don't have a high enough level of Being to remember anything from the experience. Maybe being stressed "invites" the higher self to get more involved during the meditation/breathing?

For me this has happened over a few months, but usually it was forum related like the books on the recommended reading list (books on narcissism etc). Sorry if that was confusing. My current take on it is that it's the influx of knowledge that helps with it in addition to diet and the EE. I may be off on this though.

I think this is definitely the case - it all works together. The diet and EE help heal the body/emotions/mind and continual knowledge input is vital to grow awareness - and - knowledge input is more efficient when the diet and EE help 'clear the channel' a bit. That's my understanding at least.

yup, that's my understanding too. These things all work together. It really underlines the importance of paying attention in all aspects of our lives - everything is interconnected and has the potential to affect everything else, either positively or negatively.

Yeah, I would have to agree with this. Dugdeep I think like you realized the important thing is a continuous input of knowledge.