by Travis Wright
Back in 1995, I noticed that I was breathing incorrectly. The more I noticed it, the more that, it seemed, it got worse. Little did I know, the Law of Attraction was in full effect. Energy flows where attention goes. My breathing got worse. Then stress began to prevail in my neck and throat, and for the last 12 years, I have been inflicted by this stressful inconvenience.
As a result of my poor breathing, I put on about 60 pounds. Obviously, without as much oxygen in the system to help with burning of calories, weight gain will take place. Exercise would become more of a chore, because when you are breathing incorrectly, it puts more strain on everything.
The more you notice something like this, more it takes over your thinking. I began to think that the stress in my throat and poor breathing might end my life prematurely. This is a scary thought. The more focus I put on it, the worse it got.
According to many sources, they say that 40-60% of people breathe incorrectly. So, I’m not alone, I thought. Factor in that most people nowadays, spend numerous hours sitting incorrectly at a PC, and that makes everything worse. In fact, most people who breathe incorrectly, do so by having the ‘Goose Neck’ effect, which is a posture of extending the head forward.
So, I had the opportunity to listen to the Vocal Coach audio series, and they had a visual exercise that really helped me out:
HOW TO CORRECT POOR BREATHING
Imagine a string on the back of the top of your head, and imagine two strings on each side of your collarbone. These strings are then pulled tight to the ceiling, and you stand upright, like a marionette. This lifts up your head and chest and allows for proper diaphragm breathing, as opposed to shallow chest breathing. DO NOT hold your stomach in, let it flow in and out, expanding and contracting. Instead enjoy the feeling of your tummy. Ahhhh.
Another Exercise:
Hand on tummy, lips together, relax jaw and shoulders,
breath in low and slow - 2 - 3 expanding your waist;
hold the breath in - 2 - 3; out slowly - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5.
I have no affiliation with VocalCoach.com, nor do I receive any money for recommending this product. It has helped me, and so I wanted to recommend it to you, to help those who may need correct breathing assistance.
Successfully,
Travis Wright
CultivateGreatness.com
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Thanks for sharing this wonderful tip. I’m sure that our posture doesn’t only affect our breathing but a lot of other things.
Hey there Travis
Thanks for contributing so hugely to the online presence of intentional creation!
Re: Breathing
As a vocal therapist since 1980 (pre- and post operative & normal), a holistic health educator since 1992 and a pranayama teacher (yogic breathing practices) since 1999 I have to say that you are finally on the right track-low or belly breathing is one of the best places to begin to re-balance or naturalize one’s breathing technique…
We all begin by belly breathing when we are born and continue that way until, at some moment, we begin to breathe with our upper chest…
Breathing with the upper chest exclusively has many side effects….first off, it reduces one’s lung capacity by approx. 30%, secondly it can possibly affect one’s metabolism directly (you experienced that with, possibly the thyroid being affected and your consequent weight gain), and thirdly, upper chest breathing is one of the most reliable ways to stimulate what’s called the “Fight or Flight” response..basically throwing one into survival mode and additionally, if the individual’s prone to it, stimulating axiety/panic attacks.
It definitely increases the serum cortisol levels which, when you do the research on it, also contributes to weight gain…
I’m working on a project right now with the Gyuto Tibetan Buddhist Monks of Dharamsala, India who have had a 400 year old tradition of chanting very very low…they, too, due to their inefficient breathing technique, have a tradition of rapid aging and lowered immune system response, as well as high blood pressure all due to breathing inefficiently and singing with an inefficient technique.
I was called in to work with the younger monks to establish a new, more efficient technique of producing those low tones which will encourage good health and longevity and it seems that we’re making a godd amount of progress so far…it’s only been 2 years, so it’s a little early to tell.
However I use this story to inspire to seek out good and solid pranayama education as it will serve one for a lifetime….
Feel free to pub my email if anyone has any questions.
Peace & Love from Dharamsala, India
John Crutchfield
John,
You are so right about belly breathing. I used to suffer from anxiety attacks, although I did not know what they were. I thought I was going to die sometimes and the attacks feed on themselves and I eventually had to see a doctor because of the physical problems that I started to have. My wife ordered a “kit” from the Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety after I refused to take drugs by my doctor’s advice. In the kit was a relaxation tape. It had low belly breathing and the exact technique is simple. Find a comfortable seat where you won’t be disturbed for at least 10 minutes. One hand on your chest to feel your heart and one on your belly to feel air coming in. Breathe in thru nose slowly counting to 2, exhale thru mouth counting to 4 not forcing air out, just let it out relaxed. This alone stopped, PERMANENTLY, all of my attacks. Now if I feel one coming on, I simply start breathing right and within seconds I feel great AND my health has improved dramatically. I am a huge advocate of proper breathing and tell my story every chance I get.
Amazing what one little adjustment can do….
Onward and Upward.
Peter Trast
My site has a couple of good breathing exercises and meditation which really help develop a strong, steady respiratory system -
http://www.freehypnosistreatment.com
Hi Travis,
Like it. The string thing works for some folks - the tilt of the pelvis is often crucial too in a sitting position as this sets up the whole spine.
Found you looking for blogs to link with - I blog on similar matters. Interested?
Mark
(UK)
Mark Walsh’s last blog post..Human Business - What This Blog and My Life is All About (Plorking)