Breathing

Submitted by Aging gracefully on October 2, 2015 - 7:32pm
Body: 

Hello everyone.
I wanted to tell you this story about breathing that I found very interesting. My husband and I were talking about proper breathing, and I was telling him how Christine teaches us to breath deeply into our bellies, expanding and making space for our organs. He told me that when he was younger in marching band they brought a guy in to teach them to breath in this way, because this way of breathing made more room for the lungs which in turn would help them play their instruments better! That was in the seventies! And, we know that the proper breathing was lost along with the proper posture.

I found this fascinating and reminiscent of how Christine has recently expounded on the importance of breathing in her new blossom series.

Just something to think about and keep mindful of.

Forum:

Surviving60

October 3, 2015 - 7:41am

I think I had my own lightbulb moment about breathing, back when I was first trying to teach myself firebreathing and was finding it so counter-intuitive. I finally understood what Christine meant when she said that wrong posture reverses natural breathing and turns us into chest breathers. Restoring ourselves to belly-breathing starts with relaxing the lower belly, but for many of us, that's only the beginning of the process of un-doing years or decades of breathing incorrectly. We just can't stress this enough! Thanks AG - Surviving

Christine

October 3, 2015 - 11:47am

Thanks so much for these insights and validations. The most important instruction for WW breathing we can give is to breathe into the midriff and not the lower belly. This was my lightbulb moment, when I realized breathing into the lower belly can cause some women to pull the midriff in, and therefore dampen the natural movement of the diaphragm.

Christine

October 3, 2015 - 11:51am

This morning, tired from our latest work load, I was standing at the kitchen sink in exaggerated WW posture and literally resting the weight of my upper body on my pushed out midriff. I realized that not only is WW posture "traction" when we are tired and need to keep moving, but it is also a "crutch" to literally lean on when we are standing and tired.

Aging gracefully

October 3, 2015 - 12:44pm

Thank you for the continued insight into breathing, Christine. That does make sense and helps me to better understand the way my husband was taught to breath all those years ago making room for lung expansion and midriff breathing. We should always be open to to these subtle differences as they arise.

Aging gracefully

October 4, 2015 - 6:25am

That was never a problem for me. When I would breath in my whole belly expanded, even when I was thinking breathing into lower belly. I recently tried holding in my upper belly and just breathing into my lower belly, and it just didn't work. The whole belly expands out.
I could see it as a point of confusion for other ladies though, because of the fact that we are taught to tuck in our bellies and chest breath. While it may have been easier for me to adjust to a fuller belly expansion, It actually felt normal for the first time in my life, others may need a different take on it.

I do think it is good to continue to find different ways to get the information out there in the most understandable way, so that everyone can benefit from it.

Surviving60

October 4, 2015 - 7:43am

Yes - for me, belly breathing is belly breathing. I am one of those ones who find that distinction a little confusing, belly versus midriff. Perhaps our differences are anatomical. Anyway I'm glad, because I never had problems returning to belly breathing, once I conquered belly relaxation.....they were one and the same for me. - Surviving

Aging gracefully

October 12, 2015 - 7:54am

That is interesting. We are all different then, and this is good to know for all of us that we have options.

Surviving60

October 12, 2015 - 4:51pm

Perfect illustration of the value of having an in-person or Skype session with a practitioner. - Surviving

Princess Wasa

October 12, 2015 - 6:56pm

My step-father-in-law told me 50 years ago about diaphramatic breathing. He loved to sing along with operas on the radio. How I wish I had listened to him. But I figured since I wasn't into opera it didn't matter. Besides I am not mechanically oriented and my sweet husband has to explain how everything works!
Now I have to relearn breathing from the midriff, not the lower belly! I feel as though I need someone with me all day just to remind and correct every wrong move!
Since I have seen very little progress in 5 months, this could be part of the reason. (I am 70,
and have stage 4 prolapsed uterus.)

Aging gracefully

October 12, 2015 - 7:29pm

I just want to point out here, that some women were having trouble understanding the breathing into the lower belly by trying to hold in their upper belly. I have also read that some of you may have trouble because of being shorter waisted. I get that.

But not all of us had that trouble. I for one got the breathing right away, although I would think breathing into my lower belly, I was also think belly goes out on in breath, and falls back on out breath. The midriff breathing cue may be what helps some of you understand the breathing sequence better, and that is great, but for those of you who have not been having any problems with your breathing, don't go thinking that you have been doing it wrong all this time.
I am certainly not thinking that, because I wouldn't have been as successful with this work as I have if I had been breathing wrong!!

Princess Wasa, I also have a profound uterine prolapse, and it took me longer than 5 months to start feeling real results, so just keep at it. Maybe you could tell us what your Whole Woman routine is, so that we could give you some more pointers to help you along.

Surviving60

October 12, 2015 - 7:50pm

I agree that the midriff-breathing idea can be needlessly confusing to most of us. It may help someone who is short-waisted and small through that area (as SafelyHeld claims to be) or who is tensing certain muscles more than others in a non-typical way. It is very hard to say. But simply learning to breathe in and out of the belly instead of the chest is a fundamental part of this work, and it isn't really all that complicated if you just train yourself to think about it for awhile. Eventually it will become automatic. - Surviving

Princess Wasa

October 13, 2015 - 7:43pm

I try to get my exercises done before breakfast. Since I have a lot of arthritus there are some exercises that are very difficult, such as trying to bend over my legs when I am in a sitting position. Another problem is jumping. It's hard on the knees. However I feel like some jumping is better than none, so I make an effort at it. Twisting and turning has been hard but I see a lot of improvement as the weeks go by! My neck was very stiff in the beginning but freeing up. So I do see improvements here and there. I have good balance with the leg lifts.

I have heard over and over that being mindful of body position all day is critical--so recently I have put little signs around my house, near the kitchen sink, on the bathroom mirror, etc. as a constant reminder to stand correctly and try to breathe right. Also I am trying to sit an hour in a straight position on a chair, rather than leaning back (incorrectly).
A couple times a week, especially if we go shopping for the day, etc. I just wear the pessary. It is not the best solution but feels better temporarily.
My husband and I walk a mile and a half about every other day. I'm always walking at home in my house--keeping busy throughout the day. By dinnertime I'm done for the day and begin to feel my age--70.
One other thing that I am dependent on at the present is the elastic belt that at least keeps the prolapse from coming out too far. Even with that tho, it is very annoying to walk with this problem.
Otherwise I am in good health and look younger than my age. Although I am usually optimistic I don't see enough improvement right now for what I seem to be putting in it. Just having assurance that this WILL work eventually is encouraging. The last think I want is surgery!
Thank you for any pointers.

Aging gracefully

October 13, 2015 - 7:59pm

I did a lot of work too. You really have to put the extra effort in with the severe prolapse. It was about the year mark when I started to really notice the bigger changes. I had more strength to hold the posture and my cervix stayed in for longer and longer periods of time.
Do you also do the jiggling and Firebreathing? I also did that several times a day. Feels very temporary at first, but as with all this work, just gets better and easier to do.
Keep it up and best wishes to you.

Surviving60

October 14, 2015 - 5:29am

It sounds like you are working really hard, but not necessarily feeling much in the way of results. How is your posture, really? Is that belly relaxed and chest lifted, in such a way that you can feel that lumbar curvature and visualize your organs being held forward? There is a point at which all this will "click" and you aren't quite there yet.

About the jumping - I consider this an advanced move that should be done after posture is really mastered. If you are in good WW posture, this jumping will actually make your prolapse feel better. If it doesn't, and especially if it hurts your knees, I would take a break from jumping for awhile.

Those signs you put up....what do they say? Soft belly and lifted chest are the top 2 elements to keep in mind while learning. I found that the relaxed belly led automatically to belly breathing, though others have a harder time with that.

Yes it does take time - I was into my second year when the real progress was felt. In the meantime, focus on the posture itself. The exercises are only as good as the posture you assume while doing them. - Surviving

Aging gracefully

October 14, 2015 - 6:11am

Glad you brought that up about the jumping, surviving. Princess Wasa must be doing the online course where Christine shows the jumping. I definetly would skip that part until you have your posture down really well and have been feeling that your uterus has moved inside the lower belly more. Otherwise, you are just working against it. In the beginning, even when doing jiggling and firebreathing, mine would just slip right back to the opening when I stood up, but over time, that changed, and I could keep it in more and more.
Yes, definetly a process with the posture elements always at the forefront in your mind.

Surviving60

October 14, 2015 - 6:20am

That is so true - if the organs are not held forward in the belly as you jump, you are probably just aggravating things. And this is true of the exercises in general - they are meant to be done in posture, or else they are really not WW exercises! Posture is everything. - Surviving

Princess Wasa

October 14, 2015 - 3:40pm

I have always been, let's face it, skinny. And conscious of holding my belly in. So now it IS difficult to let it relax. (But I'm trying.) My notes just say "woman pose?" as a reminder, but I will make new ones with 'soft belly, chest lifted'.
My chiropractor is a youngish man who has been into weight lifting and all kinds of good healthy living--so my husband and I ply him with many questions on posture, etc. He has been helpful and feels that if I put a small rolled up towel behind my back where the curve should be, for about 10 minutes a day and working up to 20 minutes daily, this will help me have greater curvature in the spine where it belongs. He is also encouraging regarding all of the exercises that Christine teaches and said he can already tell the difference in my strength and that I have less rigidity.
I am ordering two of the new series on Walking and the Fine tuning. This should help a lot.
Thank you for your support.
(Don't you wish that men were as supportive to each other as women are?)

heather b

October 14, 2015 - 10:41pm

Are the words 'strong pelvic floor" verboten? Is tightening pelvic floor muscles contrary to WW teaching? Very confusing to one who has strong pelvic floor, but still has prolapse issues!

Aussie Soul Sister

October 15, 2015 - 2:20am

Dear heather b,
The term floor, is used to describe the anatomical anomaly that the openings are underneath, and somehow supposed to support the abdominal organs.

In Whole Woman posture the vagina is a closed airless space & the uterus and bladder are supported and protected in front of the pubic bone, in the relaxed lower belly from intra - abdominal pressure and gravity.

Without Whole Woman posture the organs are not as protected, and can fall back and down from their positions described above and as the vagina is not a closed airless space, it is open allowing the organs to prolapse.

I have read that you have worn a pessary and that is one of the disadvantages as they hold the vagina open and the organs vulnerable to further prolapse...

In Whole Woman Posture the pelvic wall as we call it is at an angle up toward the back of the body, and not directly parallel to the floor.

I recommend if you haven't already got them to get the online courses or books/DVDs that Christine has compiled with comprehensive information from years of research, to help you understand her work and just how holistic it is.

I did that 3+ years ago and have enjoyed many more benefits than I would have ever imagined.
All the best,
Aussie Soul Sister

Surviving60

October 15, 2015 - 4:50am

We have been explaining the Whole Woman work to you, but it's really time for you to get started, especially if you plan to continue posting. We are here to support women who are doing the work; that is the purpose of the forum. Soul Sis gave you a great summation above. - Surviving

heather b

October 16, 2015 - 5:56am

I get the message!!

Princess Wasa

October 16, 2015 - 1:53pm

I got the new video yesterday on Running and Walking and loved it! I am a person that needs good reasons WHY and HOW things work--and this was just perfect. So this morning my husband and I took our 1 1/2 mile walk "around the neighborhood" and, just for fun I ran a little bit--two times. Since I haven't run in years I just went about 50 feet each time but it was so exhilarating! I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt as light as a feather. Why aren't we ever taught to run on the balls of our feet? You do feel like you are flying. Thank you so much Christine!
After I see how my body feels tomorrow I will adjust the running--hopefully to more of it. And don't worry, I know when to stop.
One other exciting development--yesterday morning during my exercises--during the first
'child pose' I actually felt the uterus slip all the way in place! Of course it didn't stay there but as things are done correctly, I know it will get used to being in the right position, aided by posture and breathing right.

Aging gracefully

October 16, 2015 - 2:32pm

Wonderful news, Princess Wasa!! It sounds like you are well onto your journey with whole woman!!

Surviving60

October 16, 2015 - 2:55pm

This is fabulous, and what it tells me (among other things) is that you are "getting" the posture. Because you need to be in correct posture to feel this way, and you are feeling it!! I love that video.

Right now I have rather limited opportunities for actual running outside, but I have been making a point to do some running in bare feet inside.....sometimes it's nothing more than running in place, but it feels really good. - Surviving