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In this article you will
see the great variety and tradition behind the healing and transformative
powers of conscious breathing. You will also begin to explore what techniques
might be beneficial for your personal health and well- being.
Breathing is a unique process in our body. It is both under the control of the autonomic nervous system, taking place automatically whether we are aware of it or not. And it is under our conscious control, we are able to alter it with our conscious will.
Conscious Breathing
Modern medicine addresses the issues of autonomic dysfunction of breathing through pulmonary therapies from simple devices to support upper airway flow during sleep through surgical methods like tracheotomy with ventilator support. Breathwork, on the other hand, is the art and science of using our conscious intention to alter our breathing for specific purposes. Control of our breathing is accomplished in many ways. On the physical level, the principle breathing muscle is the diaphragm, the dome shaped muscle upon which our lungs are supported. The diaphragm in some traditions is called the “spiritual muscle” because of its role in lifting our spirits, maintaining our health, vitality and well being. Other muscles of the ribs, stomach, back and pelvis also play an important role in our freedom and openness of breathing.
Besides controlling our breathing muscles, other ways of affecting our breathing include the use of: movement, e.g. aerobic exercise; posture, e.g. Hatha yoga; touch, e.g. massage; and sound, e.g. toning or singing (Lewis, 2004). Breathing techniques will tend to focus on:
- abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing, engaging the parasympathetic nervous system to process calm meditative qualities such as many yogic techniques provide,
- costal (chest) breathing engaging the sympathetic nervous system to process emotional energy such as early forms of rebirthing or primal therapy promote, or
- integrative (using both
diaphragm and chest) breathing such as Therapeutic Breathwork
teaches. Each will vary with using the nose or mouth or combinations
of the two for inhaling and exhaling, as well as the rate, amplitude
and patterning of the breath.
Traditions of Breathwork
In China, for example, very precise breathing exercises have been developed at least since the rise of Taoism in 2,700 BC. Some estimate the number of there exercises, collectively called Qigong (or Chi Kung), to be between 3,000 and 10,000. Good mental and physical health was regarded by the Chinese monks as part of spiritual development to reach higher levels of consciousness. Breathing exercises are used in Chinese medicine to correct yin and yang life force imbalances, seen as the source of illness. Very lyrical descriptions are given to these exacting practices such as: The Breathing of Usefulness, The Breathing of Harmony, The Breathing of Self Esteem and the Breathing of Love. Breath control was also essential to the mastery of martial arts (Minett, 2004).
At least as old are the yogic breathing exercises developed in India called pranayama. Many of these exercises stress “inner breathing” which result from a relaxed body and mental openness which the science of yoga strives toward. The various forms of yoga use conscious awareness of the breath to achieve union with the universal forces that surround us, bringing the body and mind into harmonious alignment. Pranayama is used in traditional Indian Ayur-Vedic medicine as a vital healing agent.
The ancient cultures of Tibet, Greece and Egypt all had important breath practices. Islamic and Christian traditions and native cultures around the world used breathing to affect transformative changes in ritual and healing arts. The !Kung people of the Kalahari Desert today, as for thousands of years, use ritual, dance and rapid breathing to reach !kia, a transcendental state giving them supernatural powers.
More modern developments in the use of breath in physiological and emotional as well as physical healing have come with the advent of body therapies from Wilhelm Reich (Vegetotherapy) and Alexander Lowen (Bioenergetics) to current Therapeutic Breathwork techniques (Morningstar, 1994). Specialized forms of breathwork have evolved to deal with specific issues such as the Buteyko Method created by a Russian doctor to reverse the effects of asthma. More of these developments will be explored in later articles.
For now, however, how does one begin to make sense of this plethora of breath wisdom available from so many sources? To make a sound choice for yourself let’s review our vowels A, E, I, O, U and Y (sustained sound comes from an exhale and a vowel).
Choosing what is right for you
Attention - pay attention to the quality of your breathing. Is it free and easy? Answer the questions from Gay Hendricks (p. ix, 1995).
THE BREATH TEST
Find out in a minute if you need conscious breathing
Take a moment to answer these twelve questions:
- When you take a deep breath, do you inflate your chest?
- Do you tire easily or wake up tired?
- Do you experience racy or mildly queasy sensations in your chest or stomach?
- Do you often feel you are not getting a full breath?
- Do you get mild or severe headaches, often in the afternoon?
- Is you breathing shallow?
- Is your breath mostly up in your chest?
- Are your muscles often tense or sore to the touch?
- Do you sigh often?
- Do you sometimes have painful sensations in your rib cage or shooting pains that make you want to hold your breath?
- Do you feel breathless fairly often?
- In repose, do you breathe more than fifteen times a minute?
All of these symptoms can be caused by ineffective breathing. All of them can disappear as you learn to breathe more effectively. If you answered yes to any of these questions, you can benefit from conscious breathing practices. If you answered yes to three or more, you will find the activities extremely useful, perhaps even life-changing.
Experiment - try the exercises recommended in the various references I have cited or on the Web site of the IBTA <www.breathworkalliance.org>. Contact a breathworker or bodyworker who focuses on helping you breathe more effectively.
Intuition - trust your intuition about what will best serve your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. This may not always be what is easiest or most logical - or it may be. By following your intuition, it will either confirm what is right for you or lead you to the next step of your growth.
Observation - notice the results of your practice on the quality of your life. This does not always mean an immediate improvement in all your symptoms. Even when your “pot gets stirred” you may still know you are on the right track to clearing.
Understanding - put the changes, slow and steady or quick and dramatic, in the context of your life. There is a bigger picture, perhaps, than just symptom relief as to why you were called to breathwork. Breathwork is a holistic approach to putting all of you together. Breath is the rainbow bridge uniting all levels of our being.
You - are the “proof in the pudding.” Do you feel a deeper partnership with the breath in generating greater awareness and aliveness? This is the final test as to what is right for YOU.
Therapeutic Breathwork Exercise #2:
Direct your attention to a part of your body each day that seems to call for healing or care. Have your body in a non-constricted position. Imagine sending your breath to that area easily and freely with a loving intention for three to five minutes without forcing or trying to make something happen. Simply bathe that area in your breath. Again, making notes on your observations will be helpful.
References
Lewis, Dennis. Free Your Breath, Free Your life. Buston:
Shambala, 2004.
Minett, Gunnel. Exhale. Edinburgh, UR: Floris Books, 2004
Morningstar, Jim. Breathing in Light and Love. Milwaukee: Transformations, 1994.
Hendricks, Gay. Conscious Breathing. New York: Bantam, 1995.
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Jim Morningstar, Ph.D. is director of Transformations Incorporated: Creative Consulting and Counseling Services, the School of Integrative Psychology, the Transformations Breathwork Training Program, and Continuing Education for Professionals in Milwaukee, WI. Jim is also the co- Director of the IBTA (International Breathwork training Alliance) This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
(414) 351 5770
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IBTA Mission:
The International Breathwork Training Alliance (IBTA) is a consortium of professional breathwork schools, trainers, and practitioners who support and promote the integration of breathwork in the world as an accessible and vital healing modality that facilitates physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual wellness. You can reach the IBTA by visiting: http://breathworkalliance.com/