Why do doctors and others suggest to pregnant women to use breathing rhythms/exercises to help with their labor? Why is it that long distance runners are taught how to ‘breathe properly’ to help sustain their endurance? (“in-in” “out-out” with each step) What are WE taught to do, when dealing with asthma? (breathe into a paper bag) Why….are breathing exercises so important? I’ll tell you in one word. EMPOWERMENT!
Breathing properly and with dedication can increase our power to ease pain, increase lung capacity, reduce the constrictions of fear, and empower us to do MORE than what we are currently doing and experiencing?
Is there anyone reading this, that would like to do MORE than what you are currently doing? Well, breathing is just one aspect of empowerment. The other, is visualization!
Have any of you ever experienced that shocking moment when something you had ‘imagined’ would happen…. actually ‘happened?’ Perhaps, you thought that ‘this road is slick with ice.” “I’d better be careful!’ Then… ‘wham!’ You, or someone ELSE winded up in an accident! Have you ever thought to yourself, you know…I REALLY shouldn’t be doing this.” And then…you discovered that, “Yes!” “I REALLY should NOT have done that!”
It’s only my perspective, but ‘that’s’ just one example of the power that we have with our thoughts. That’s an example of the ‘power of the mind!’
Now…what if we could use the power of our mind to multiply the effectiveness and results of that which we truly want and need? I believe this to be ‘do-able!’
The reason I believe this is possible; I have outlined earlier with my Olympic gold medal accomplishment and one Hollywood stunt work example. Those are only two of the many times I feel I have been able to harness the power of my mind to manifest that which I want.
Now, can I do this ALL the time? No! Otherwise, I’d be a ‘gazillionair’ living on an exotic island and traveling to my many wonderful houses across the world. (Hmm…perhaps that’s ‘why’ I have chosen not to produce everything I ‘think’ I want! He, he). However, I do find that when I spend the time and energy with visualization, it has amazing benefits!
Visualization, as in how I’m putting this forth, is the practice of ‘seeing in your mind,’ detail by detail…that which you WANT to create. In my case, in my pre-Olympic competition with a serious back injury, I ‘visualized’ myself performing all of my attacks and counters with perfect precision. I ‘saw’ myself winning match after match. I saw myself standing on that top Olympic podium. Was I the ‘best’ fighter of that day? I doubt it. I WAS the best fighter for that period of time! And I DID stand on that top Olympic tier.
Now, what I did is this… (I may skip a few tiny details here…but u can research this skill later)
When I realized that my body was compromised, and that there were no ‘alternative’ solutions ‘on the table,’ and my team-mates practiced physically…I found a quiet place to sit. I sat so that my body was relaxed…yet allowed my airways to be ‘open’ for my breathing exercise. I cleared my mind by inhaling (extremely slowly, with ‘compressed’ breathing) through my nose with the resulting slow fill of air, going straight to my ‘belly’ (NOT my chest). Upon reaching the maximum of what I thought I could ‘hold,’ I paused, then I breathed in a bit more. Then in an extremely SLOW manner, I exhaled through my mouth in a ‘compressed’ mannerism (see video links I have attached). When I reached the ‘bottom line,’ where it felt like no more breath was available. I paused. Then I breathed out a bit more! Of course, then I began the exercise again.
NOTE: ‘Breathing’ exercises are not to be taken lightly, and often-times must be practiced and built-up to be able to do this effectively!
Now…after awhile of just focusing on the breathing technique alone (NOT thinking about ANYTHING!), I began doing a ‘relaxation’ and ‘clearing’ exercise. As I breathed…I imagined that my toes were ‘relaxing.’ Then I imagined my heels, my ankles, my calves, my knees, my thighs, my ham strings…and everything else….all the way up to my lips, my ears, and my eyebrows!
Once I felt relaxed and ‘clear,’ I then began to visualize that which I wanted! In the case of the Olympics, I was ‘side-lined’ with my back injury and unable to practice physically. So I practiced physically, in my mind! Move after move. Match after match.
Did I ‘see’ any visual results in those following two weeks of continued, persistent visualization? NO!
Yet when I stepped into that competition ring for my Olympic matches, I KNEW that I was ready! And when I began executing my moves…I re-affirmed to myself, that I was able!
Had I NOT done those breathing and visualizing exercises, I am CERTAIN, that I would’ve stepped into that ring….and felt un-prepared! I would’ve stepped into that ring, and I would’ve FAILED!
“When my first match was halfway over, I knew that although my body was not 100%, my positive mindset made up for it. As I faced my toughest opponent (Chinese Taipei) in the semi-finals, I knew in my heart, that I was good enough to win. I knew that I had the strength, the speed, the training, and the determination. And most important of all, I truly believed in myself. When my hand was raised after my final match to let everyone know I’d won the Olympic Gold, I smiled to myself, because I finally realized that I was, indeed, a winner.
Well, how would YOU like to be a winner in what you do? It IS possible! And breathing and visualization is just ONE way that can help you achieve this! The power of the mind is incredible! Why not harness that power to create what you want!?
Copywrite Dana Hee 12/16/2009
Links to help you learn ‘Breathing’ Exercises. My favorites here are the Pranayama exercises because the instructor explains really well what is needed to be done.
Great explanation of Pranayama Yoga Breathing exercise basics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvdiMjSgItg
Great explanation..continued
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TWnDHafou4&feature=related
Pranyama Yoga “Ocean Sounds” Breathing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHyZLtnobkU&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=DCD427CFFB5AA38A
Kung Fu Breathing exercises (Tan Jun Explained)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4tlZL95wqI&feature=related
Chosun Ninja Breathing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJIAKpeHgTY&NR=1
Kundalini Yoga “Breath of Fire”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J5SwXpn8jY&feature=related
Kundalini Yoga “Breath of Fire”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsEZylK8sDA&NR=1&feature=fvwp
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