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I was asked to do a thread, so: opinionated thread on breathwork!
context: I tried Buteyko breathing, and I sorta hated it
but it also did lower my breathing rate and felt nice? 
tl;dr: don't "try to change your breathing”. breathing differently is *an experiment*
context: I tried Buteyko breathing, and I sorta hated it
but it also did lower my breathing rate and felt nice? tl;dr: don't "try to change your breathing”. breathing differently is *an experiment*
so Buteyko breathing exercises are to slow down your breathing to a gentle trickle, and also to periodically hold your breath to create a sensation of "air hunger"
the theory is most people breathe too much and "should" tolerate more air hunger, have a lower respiratory rate
the theory is most people breathe too much and "should" tolerate more air hunger, have a lower respiratory rate
when I first tried this I was like "wtf, how do I make this not just feel like FORCING myself to breathe differently"
also just... ?? on what the heck basis do "I", the conscious self, think that "I" know better than my autonomic breath control system how I "should" breathe??
also just... ?? on what the heck basis do "I", the conscious self, think that "I" know better than my autonomic breath control system how I "should" breathe??
I now think the "right" (
) approach to breathwork is like other sorts of psychosomatic exercises - mostly just as an experiment & watch closely what happens!
("hmm, what is it like" to ... try to stop my thoughts? try to think constant thoughts? breathe lots? breathe less?)
) approach to breathwork is like other sorts of psychosomatic exercises - mostly just as an experiment & watch closely what happens!("hmm, what is it like" to ... try to stop my thoughts? try to think constant thoughts? breathe lots? breathe less?)
you are not trying to *condition* or *teach* yourself to breathe differently
(who are you to know if breathing deeper or shallower or with your diaphragm or your chest is *better*?? just cuz some guy said so??)
(who are you to know if breathing deeper or shallower or with your diaphragm or your chest is *better*?? just cuz some guy said so??)
instead just *see what happens* if you breathe that other way
does it feel uncomfortable? when/where exactly?
what if you nudge a few seconds past that first layer of discomfort, then what happens?
does anything about it feel nice?
is anything flinching/contracting? when? why?
does it feel uncomfortable? when/where exactly?
what if you nudge a few seconds past that first layer of discomfort, then what happens?
does anything about it feel nice?
is anything flinching/contracting? when? why?
now that I've tried this a few times, I've noticed that I have significant "flinches" that kick in at the bottom of a calm, shallow breath
they feel a bit twitchy and unnatural
for some reason my body encounters a bit of "reactive fear" at the bottom of a long exhale
they feel a bit twitchy and unnatural
for some reason my body encounters a bit of "reactive fear" at the bottom of a long exhale
this shouldn't be unusual given everything else I already think;
as anything psychosomatic - pain, posture, ergonomics etc. - there’s cognition & past experience tangled up in “how does my body react to mild air hunger”
(uncompleted trauma motor patterns, the whole shebang)
as anything psychosomatic - pain, posture, ergonomics etc. - there’s cognition & past experience tangled up in “how does my body react to mild air hunger”
(uncompleted trauma motor patterns, the whole shebang)
(example from the subthread that inspired this thread!) https://twitter.com/uncatherio/status/1348461003764236291
so: as with any other sensation, I can just "hang out with" "what up when I breathe delicately?", build a better map of the experience.
I can only imagine that, done as gentle exploration, this would help the whole breath-control apparatus have a clearer sense of what's going on
I can only imagine that, done as gentle exploration, this would help the whole breath-control apparatus have a clearer sense of what's going on
overall:
the theory of change isn't "training" how to breathe,
but rather, *if and when* in the future it's good to breathe differently, the breath control system on its own will have access to that pattern more smoothly without hitting as many unexamined flinches and twinges
the theory of change isn't "training" how to breathe,
but rather, *if and when* in the future it's good to breathe differently, the breath control system on its own will have access to that pattern more smoothly without hitting as many unexamined flinches and twinges
(alternate epilogue: if ur "gentle calm breathing" technique doesn't have a place in it for wild guttural scream-growling, maybe return it to the store and get a new one)
(h/t @meditationstuff for the turn of phrase)
(h/t @meditationstuff for the turn of phrase)
cc @m_ashcroft because this is probably secretly Alexander Technique somehow
cc @BreatheLesss because obviously
cc @BreatheLesss because obviously
