My Yogic Breath

08/09/2021

My breathing is not normal. I contend that my functional breathing is significantly better than it would test by standard PFTs. I am never short of breath. I don’t use any respiratory support. During my three hour yoga practice my breath powers my movements. My breath is warm, dependable, and comforting.

• Reflex breaths are the hallmark of my recovery. They occur primarily during yoga and are prompted by physical exhaustion. They occur 30+ times in a practice and rarely outside of one.

• Yawning. This reflex appeared within the first year of taking up yoga. It was noticeably absent in the years preceding my starting yoga. I wasn’t taking deep breaths either. Only when I realized this fact was I aware that something was wrong. I have learned to manage this reflex and avert a full blown yawn. Yawns are a cleansing breath and feel very good.

• Turbo breath: An extra terminal inspiration on top of a deep breath. It is a diaphragmatic reflex that tops off my inspiration.

• Power breath: My yoga breath is powerful. It is the central supporting structure of every practice. It appears within a minute of starting my practice. It is a rhythmic abdominal breath that varies in volume depending on the physical load. It has promoted facet releases in my spine. My spine is now completely released and feels fantastic.

• Kapalabhati breath: A yogic breathing technique (pranayama) that involves active exhalation and passive inhalation. I do 2-3 sets of 100 during each practice. It is called the “breath of fire” as it really heats up the muscles of the core. I can feel circumferential contribution to the breath from the obliques in addition to the rectus.

• Consciously commanded breaths are constrained.

• Blowing out a candle.

• Blowing my nose.

• Whistling.

• FVC.

• Rapid breathing.

My yogic breathing was not taught, it just developed. I didn’t set out to find breathing support, it found me. I have been practicing for 6 years. When I started, I could not sit unsupported without holding my trunk up with my arms. My core musculature was out of the loop of maintaining upright posture. Over time, I was able to slowly reconnect to my core and bring it back into the loop. My breath was the portal through which I was able to reconnect to my core.