How to Tap into your Mind-Body Connection--Instantly
As a trombone player, I've always been fascinated by breathing. Better breath control, better sound. More breath, louder sound. And for trombonists, louder is usually better (Definition of a Gentleman: someone who knows how to play the trombone, but chooses not to.)
So you can imagine how frustrated I was when I started having breathing trouble in college. Halfway through my last summer with Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, I had to fake my way through the daily warm-ups. My breathing problem kept me out ofthe Air Force, but ultimately led me to my career in chiropractic. And thanks to chiropractic and better nutrition,I 'm doing lots better now. Trombone or not, we all need to learn to take better advantage of our gift of breath.
Sure, we all can breathe; we do it every day. But not everyone knows HOW to breathe. We're born breathing correctly, but we unlearn it pretty quickly. Most of us do "stress-breathing", shallow breaths, high in the chest, which actually adds to our stress level. And most people ignore the value of breathing, or make fun of things like Lamaze class, or yoga, meditation, etc. But taking a few minutes each day to really breathe is the simplest thing you can do to de-stress and be your Best.
The cool thing about breathing: it's the only sub-conscious bodily function you can control with your conscious mind. Subconscious/automatic functions are the things that keep you alive while you sleep, like your heart beating, food digesting, liver doing the 1000 things the liver does, etc. But these are usually outside your conscious control--except for breathing.
Try it. Take a deep breath. Let it out. OK, now make your heart beat slower. Make your intestines digest faster. Tell your liver to secrete an enzyme (any old enzyme will do). Take another breath. See what I mean? Breathing is where you can literally contact and influence your Mind-Body Connection. Wow. That's why it's such an importantpart of meditation and spiritual practice. Also in yoga, stretching, exercise and any other physical discipline. Breathing can help you de-stress, detoxify your body, reduce your blood pressure, clear your mind and help you relax. All important for living enthused.
Here's an easy exercise to get started: Sit in a chair and relax. It doesn't even have to be real quiet or anything, just get started. Breathe deeply, slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Make as little noise as possible. Don't try too hard. Let it flow. Keep your shoulders down, letting your breath fill your abdomen first. Think of your breath as water filling a pitcher, filling from the bottom to the top.
Don't try too hard, just relax and be aware of where your breath is moving. You can even put your hands on your tummy, middle fingertips touching on top of your navel. As you breathe, your fingertips should separate a little. It may help to try it lying face up on the bed (that's how you did it when you first learned). Focus on your breath. Feel it moving in and out. If you get athought, let it go. Keep focusing on your breath. Stay relaxed.
Start with 5-10 deep breaths, 3 times a day. Like any new skill, it will take a while for it to feel natural, so don't rush it. I'll give you a few more exercises soon.
Until then, don't forget to breathe.
Living Enthused,
Dr. Vince
So you can imagine how frustrated I was when I started having breathing trouble in college. Halfway through my last summer with Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, I had to fake my way through the daily warm-ups. My breathing problem kept me out ofthe Air Force, but ultimately led me to my career in chiropractic. And thanks to chiropractic and better nutrition,I 'm doing lots better now. Trombone or not, we all need to learn to take better advantage of our gift of breath.
Sure, we all can breathe; we do it every day. But not everyone knows HOW to breathe. We're born breathing correctly, but we unlearn it pretty quickly. Most of us do "stress-breathing", shallow breaths, high in the chest, which actually adds to our stress level. And most people ignore the value of breathing, or make fun of things like Lamaze class, or yoga, meditation, etc. But taking a few minutes each day to really breathe is the simplest thing you can do to de-stress and be your Best.
The cool thing about breathing: it's the only sub-conscious bodily function you can control with your conscious mind. Subconscious/automatic functions are the things that keep you alive while you sleep, like your heart beating, food digesting, liver doing the 1000 things the liver does, etc. But these are usually outside your conscious control--except for breathing.
Try it. Take a deep breath. Let it out. OK, now make your heart beat slower. Make your intestines digest faster. Tell your liver to secrete an enzyme (any old enzyme will do). Take another breath. See what I mean? Breathing is where you can literally contact and influence your Mind-Body Connection. Wow. That's why it's such an importantpart of meditation and spiritual practice. Also in yoga, stretching, exercise and any other physical discipline. Breathing can help you de-stress, detoxify your body, reduce your blood pressure, clear your mind and help you relax. All important for living enthused.
Here's an easy exercise to get started: Sit in a chair and relax. It doesn't even have to be real quiet or anything, just get started. Breathe deeply, slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Make as little noise as possible. Don't try too hard. Let it flow. Keep your shoulders down, letting your breath fill your abdomen first. Think of your breath as water filling a pitcher, filling from the bottom to the top.
Don't try too hard, just relax and be aware of where your breath is moving. You can even put your hands on your tummy, middle fingertips touching on top of your navel. As you breathe, your fingertips should separate a little. It may help to try it lying face up on the bed (that's how you did it when you first learned). Focus on your breath. Feel it moving in and out. If you get athought, let it go. Keep focusing on your breath. Stay relaxed.
Start with 5-10 deep breaths, 3 times a day. Like any new skill, it will take a while for it to feel natural, so don't rush it. I'll give you a few more exercises soon.
Until then, don't forget to breathe.
Living Enthused,
Dr. Vince
posted by Dr. Vince at Friday, April 07, 2006
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