Sunday, April 10, 2011

Review #4

What happens if I begin with one breathing exercise and it changes into a different one?

My hope is that you will learn to trust your instincts better than you have in the past. Go with the exercise that your mind/body has handed you. Remember that your brain processes countless bits of incoming data every split second and it gives you its best guidance at any given time. Breathing training and meditation both make us better listeners to internal and external wisdom.

What happens if I run out of breath before I have finished a movement?

This cannot happen because you establish the breathing pattern FIRST and then move to that rhythm! It is typical in a gym to see people set up their movement and then hope the breathing will keep pace. Not a good idea. Remember that breathing is the music and the movement is the dance.

Why am I so tired by the end of the workday?

There is a tendency to build and hold tension from the armpits up. The neck and head muscles are tiny, demanding and sophisticated. Since we are a very visual and very talkative species our speech and vision muscles are pretty pooped by the end of the day. Add to this the invention of the computer which means most of us forget to keep our 12 to 20 pound head directly over our tailbone. All this tension messes with circulation, with joints and with breathing. Take frequent breaks (less than a minute will do) to breathe out all the stale air. Rebuild your posture.

Be well Breathe beautifully.