Firebreathing question

Submitted by nelizabeth on February 24, 2012 - 7:21pm
Body: 

Im still believing that there is hope for my prolapse and have been walking! Sitting and standing in the posture and doing the first aid DVD workout as well as trying to learn firebreathing. My condition worsened so much just before I started the WW Stuff (after 2visits to OBGYN, coincidence?) that I am mostly frightened that this will be my life now or that it will worsen again. I can only work on my feet for about an hour or so before I get too uncomfortable to stay standing. Too much pressure from the cystocele.
I read that some of you experience some relief by doing a few minutes of firebreathing. Should I be expecting any relief of my symptoms after the practice of firebreathing so early in my efforts? 2-3 weeks.
I'm afraid I might be doing it wrong. I understand about the breathing in while lifting tailbone and out while pulling belly in and up. Well, when I breathe out and pull in and up I feel the bearing down sensation. It feels that I am pushing in the wrong direction at this point.
Is that to be expected or am I doing it wrong. If I stop at the end of an out-breath I can create the vacumm and suck everything up and i feel things actually being lifted. Should I be doing this with every breath?
Confused and afraid to practice in case I'm doing it wrong.
Nancy

Forum:

louiseds

February 24, 2012 - 8:58pm

You know the cat and cow exercise where you kneel on hands and knees and alternately flex and extend your spine? You can do firebreathing in this position or standing with feet in second position plie, hands on knees or thighs and belly and back relaxed.

In breath, with relaxed belly, goes with cow (plenty of lumbar curve).
Out breath, pulling tummy in and up, goes with cat (arched back).

This should alleviate the bearing down and pressure in the vulva during the out breath.

Remember not to push your belly out on the in breath. If you push it out you will push your pelvic organs back and down instead of the diaphragm massaging them forward and down, and they will be pushed down further into your vulva during the out breath.

I hope I have this description right.

Louise

nelizabeth

February 25, 2012 - 5:21am

That is exactly how I thought it should be but I can't seem to push out the breath without feeling as though I am pushing the organs down too. But am I to understand that when I do it correctly I should feel like they are getting sucked up and inward on the out breath?

elizmor

February 25, 2012 - 9:41am

Louise, I am going to try the firebreathing on my hands and knees. When you pull your tummy in do you arch your back or stay with the lumber curve?

louiseds

February 25, 2012 - 9:39pm

We had a teacher training class yesterday, and discussed this briefly. Hopefully Christine will chime in. I am not sure I have it right.

Louise

spbel

February 26, 2012 - 4:58am

hello ladies I have been trying the fire breathing but find that has been giving me backache ,so your comment about doing it standing was very interesting .going to try this, have been using the ww posture and my symptons have reduced

Surviving60

February 26, 2012 - 1:12pm

The best description of firebreathing is in Saving the Whole Woman, 2nd edition, near the back of the book. It's a powerful move and takes some practice to get it right, even more practice before it feels natural. I had Christine's book for a year before I even got up the nerve to try it. Then, when I did, I went for the video because I still wanted to see someone doing it live.

My point is that anyone who is trying to practice serious firebreathing, but hasn't gotten the book yet, may want to consider getting it now because maybe you are doing things in the wrong order. The book is how you really immerse yourself in WW principles. It is hard to really "get" all of this if you are relying on getting your information piecemeal. This forum is a great site for getting questions answered and finding reassurance. But it doesn't take the place of self-education. There are lots of opinions and observations on this forum, and they come from all over the place. Educate yourself, work at your own pace........each of us has to do it for ourselves.

nelizabeth

February 26, 2012 - 5:00pm

Thanks a bunch surviving60 and Louise :-). I understand your point about the literature Surviving! Exactly. That is why I went and bought the whole thing as soon as I found the site. Saving the WW Book, first aid and 2 yoga videos. I tried the firebreathing using both book and DVD for a week before asking the question. I have also donE several searches on the forums. I was just wondering about the pushing sensation as it was worrying me and I could find no reference to it.

I was hoping that Christine might reply as she is the inventor of the move and knowS why it works.

If I do it correctly should I feel like they are getting sucked up and inward when I breathe out or is it ok to feel a bit of a downward push? (similar to a bearing down push)

nelizabeth

February 26, 2012 - 4:58pm

Hi SPBEL, I'm new so I don't know you but I'm so glad you have improvement. Have you been at this long?

Christine

February 26, 2012 - 5:04pm

Sorry to have missed this thread...hardly coming up for air these days!

*All* WW breathing exercises are based on the same concept - accentuating natural breathing dynamics and organ placement by lifting the tailbone (cow) on the in-breath, and tucking the tailbone under (cat) on the out breath. Yes, you should feel your organs pulling up (forward) with the stomach vacuum (cat). For pelvic circles, the breathing remains the same - when you circle to the front you are on the in-breath (cow), when you circle to the back you are on the out-breath (cat).

nelizabeth

February 26, 2012 - 5:37pm

For all of the work you've done for women and particularly for taking the time to answer my question. I promise to keep trying until I feel I am doing it right, no pushing when I breathe out, but arch, create a vacuum and pull those organs forward.

Surviving60

February 27, 2012 - 6:57am

Nelizabeth - so when you are certain that you have the sequence correct in firebreathing, are you still getting a feeling of bearing down? It should be the opposite so maybe more help is needed to see what is wrong. Or maybe just more practice. How is it today?

nelizabeth

February 27, 2012 - 2:51pm

Thank you so so much for asking. I can't help but wonder if I'm just trying too hard. Perhaps over thinking it but I don't feel the pull on the organs unless I hold the breath and suck in. I did understand the sequence and the pose perfectly only when I expell air there is the associated pushing (pushing out the breath)? Do you know what I mean? like Christine shows the pursed lips and breathing out with a bit of force. I can't seem to breathe out and pull in (the organs)at the same time? Does that make any sense?
I think I need to just do the move as I understand it and trust that it will help over the long term.

Surviving60

February 27, 2012 - 4:44pm

I absolutely know what you mean. I kept wanting to inhale as I was rounding the back, and exhale when the belly was loose. But if you do that, you do get a bearing-down sensation instead of the feel of the organs moving up. Just keep practicing it the right way, even if it feels wrong. It will click one of these days. You definitely don't want to do it backwards!

jerseygal

February 27, 2012 - 5:22pm

Nancy,
With all the information you have received from Christine and the others on the Forum, I am sure you will get the firebreathing right (if you haven't already). Don't get discouraged. It takes times, but it really works. I have been doing everything relgiously for 8 months. Even though my cystocele has moved forward, there are days when it does slip back. It does that at least once a week. When I feel it (with my finger), and I know it has slipped down again, I immediately go into the firebreathing. I do about 12 or so breaths, and in a matter of seconds, it goes forward again and stays that way for several days. I also wear a slim panty liner most of the day and especially when I go out and walking. I have been doing this since I first felt the cystocele in June 2011. When I am walking. I feel the pad, and it tricks my mind into thinking it is the pad I am feeling and not the cystocele peeking thru. It also keeps things cleaner and helps to prevent a urinary infection. It is a simple thing to do, and it gets you through the day. You seem very determined, and that is exactly what it takes. The book and the tapes are priceless, and the exercise is something that you will have to continue. There will be days when you get discouraged and feeling a little "droopy". When I feel that, I immediately tell myself to "suck it up" and I mean it actually - by going right into the firebreathing. There will come a day when you don't feel it, and you will be happy that you, (with the help of WW) actually did it without the help of a surgeon.
Joan

alemama

February 27, 2012 - 8:27pm

If you go to elbows and knees can you feel your uterus flop forward? Sometimes this will pull air into your vagina and then you know you are doing exactly the right thing. I'm thinking, if you can't feel the flop, then maybe you have something going on preventing firebreathing from working properly....

spbel

February 28, 2012 - 1:51am

hi nelizebeth ive not been on the forum very long although i have been doing the posture for about 6 months ,it was taught to me by a friend, and it realy has help not just my pop but other things like a painful neck and shoulders from arthiritis .I still have trouble with the fire breathing but will keep trying .

louiseds

February 28, 2012 - 3:43pm

To anyone having a hard time 'getting' firebreathing, don't beat up on yourself. Firebreathing *is* counter-intuitive! That is why it is hard to learn. It took me ages to teach my body to inhale on the 'cow' and exhale and suck it all in on the 'cat'.

It helps me if I disconnect it in my brain from breathing per se. Perhaps think of it as cow and cat, going into the cow while breathing in, and going into cat while breathing out, making the cow and cat the focus, and fitting your breathing with the action, rather than vice versa?

ikam

February 29, 2012 - 3:36am

It is difficult for me...but I think what is the most difficult is that "I think" it instead of doing it...When I start thinking what I should be feeling, in which point what needs to happen, etc. I get lost. It is the same when I go for my PT, she said: I think too much...

chickaboom

February 29, 2012 - 9:53am

awesome description. makes so much sense. helps to click ideas into place. thank you alemama thank you wholewoman.

nelizabeth

March 1, 2012 - 10:03am

Thanks a bunch for this, it's coming to me a bit better now. Practicing several times a day is helping a lot as well as reading the suggestions and going over the book and DVD a few times. I have to keep reminding myself that this is going to take some time.