Conscious breathing
Conscious breathing encompasses techniques directing awareness toward the
In music, circular breathing enables wind instrument players to produce a continuous tone. Singers, too, rely on breath control through consciously managed breathing stages. The Buteyko method in physical therapy focuses on breathing exercises for conditions like asthma, emphasizing nasal breathing and relaxation. In psychology, Integrative Breathing combines various techniques to address specific needs, particularly in cases of drug abuse disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.
New Age breathwork practices, like Holotropic Breathwork and Rebirthing-breathwork, developed in the late 1960s and 1970s, use deepened breathing for accessing altered states of consciousness and purging repressed memories. However, the medical community questions the efficacy of some methods, such as the Buteyko method, due to limited evidence supporting their claims.
In martial arts
In tai chi, aerobic exercise is combined with breathing exercises to strengthen the diaphragm muscles, improve posture and make better use of the body's qi.[1]
In
In meditation
Different forms of meditation and yoga advocate various breathing methods. In yoga these methods are called pranayama.[1] In yoga, breath is associated with prana, thus, pranayama is a means to elevate the prana-shakti, or life energies. Pranayama is described in Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Methods include prolonging the in- and outbreaths, holding pauses on the in- or outbreath or both, alternate nostril breathing, and breathing with the glottis slightly engaged. Later in Hatha yoga texts, it meant the complete suspension of breathing. The pranayama practices in modern yoga as exercise are unlike those of the Hatha yoga tradition.
In
In music
In music, some wind instrument players use a technique called circular breathing, a technique used by players of some wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption. It is accomplished by inhaling through the nose while simultaneously pushing air out through the mouth using air stored in the cheeks. The technique was developed independently by several cultures and is used for many traditional wind instruments.[5]
Singers also rely on breath control. Natural breathing has three stages: a breathing-in period, breathing out period, and a resting or recovery period; these stages are not usually consciously controlled. Within singing, there are four stages of breathing: a breathing-in period (inhalation); a setting up controls period (suspension); a controlled exhalation period (phonation); and a recovery period.
These stages must be under conscious control by the singer until they become conditioned reflexes. Many singers abandon conscious controls before their reflexes are fully conditioned which ultimately leads to chronic vocal problems.[6]
In physical therapy
The
In psychology and psychotherapy
In psychology, "Integrative Breathing" combines specific benefits of various schools of conscious breathing according to the needs of clients.
Coherent breathing is a method that involves breathing at the rate of five breaths per minute with equal periods of inhalation and exhalation and conscious relaxation of anatomical zones.[14][15]
New Age breathwork
Several forms of breathwork developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s are considered
See also
- Control of ventilation – Breathing control
- Tummo – Vajrayana meditation practice
- Xingqi – Chinese breath-control techniques
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84483-798-4.
- ^ "The Effects of Reverse Breathing". LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved 2019-02-24.[unreliable source?]
- ISBN 978-1930485143.
- OCLC 778448192.
- ^ "What is Circular Breathing? (with pictures)". Musical Expert. Retrieved Aug 27, 2022.
- (PDF) from the original on 29 May 2019.
- ^ a b Baggoley C (2015). "Review of the Australian Government Rebate on Natural Therapies for Private Health Insurance" (PDF). Australian Government – Department of Health. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
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Further reading
- Aideyan, B.; Martin, G. C.; Beeson, E. T. (2020). "A Practitioner's Guide to Breathwork in Clinical Mental Health Counseling". Journal of Mental Health Counseling. 42 (1): 78–94. S2CID 214524894.
- Alderman, Lesley (November 9, 2016). "Breathe. Exhale. Repeat: The Benefits of Controlled Breathing". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
- Banushi, B.; et al. (2023). "Breathwork Interventions for Adults with Clinically Diagnosed Anxiety Disorders: A Scoping Review". Brain Sciences (2076-3425). 13 (2)): 256. PMID 36831799.
- Blazek, D.; et al. (2021). "The effect of breathing technique on sticking region during maximal bench press". Biology of Sport. 38 (3): 445–450. PMID 34475625.
- ISBN 978-1594771040.
- Farhi, D. (1996). The Breathing Book: Good Health and Vitality Through Essential Breath Work. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-0805042979.
- Fincham, G. W.; et al. (2023). "Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials". Scientific Reports. 12 (1): 432. PMID 36624160.
- Frantzis, B. K. (2006). Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body: Qigong for Lifelong Health. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-1583941461.
- Horwood, G. (2008). Tai Chi Chuan and the Code of Life: Revealing the Deeper Mysteries of China's Ancient Art for Health and Harmony. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 978-1848190016.
- Johnson, W. (2019). Breathing as Spiritual Practice: Experiencing the Presence of God. Inner Traditions/Bear. ISBN 978-1-62055-687-0.
- ISBN 978-0-7352-1363-0.
- Peng, T.; et al. (2015). "Mechanics of circular breathing in wind musicians using cine magnetic resonance imaging techniques". Laryngoscope. 125 (2): 412–418. S2CID 206202197.
- Platte, S. L.; et al. (2024). "Breathing with the Conductor? A Prospective, Quasi-Experimental Exploration of Breathing Habits in Choral Singers". Journal of Voice. 38 (1): 152–160. S2CID 237608913.
- Rosenberg, L. (2004). Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation. Shambhala. ISBN 978-1-59030-136-4.
- Young, J. S.; Cashwell, C. S.; Giordano, A. L. (2010). "Breathwork as a Therapeutic Modality: An Overview for Counselors". Counseling and Values. 55 (1): 113–125. .
- Zaccaro, Andrea; et al. (2018). "How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing". Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 12: 353. PMID 30245619.