Breathing is a demand led system. Respiration is a biochemical process, a gas exchange. Control of rates and depths of breathing happens largely automatically outside our awareness, which means we can even fall asleep and the system will keep on working for us.
The respiratory centre in the brain receives messages about levels of CO2 increase and O2 decreases, it stimulates increase in rates and depths via nerves to diaphragm and other respiratory muscles.
Inspiration provides the intake of oxygen needed for the cells to produce enough energy so we can do the things we want to do. During expiration the body gets rid of the gases that have already been burned, remains that the body no longer uses and need to be expelled.
The ‘professional breathers’, mostly singers and wind instrumentalists, are proven to have unstable breathing patterns due to interference of their system and due to habit. Most of them have no idea that by being ‘professional breathers’ they are a great danger to themselves and to others.
The respiratory centre in the brain receives messages about levels of CO2 increase and O2 decreases, it stimulates increase in rates and depths via nerves to diaphragm and other respiratory muscles.
Inspiration provides the intake of oxygen needed for the cells to produce enough energy so we can do the things we want to do. During expiration the body gets rid of the gases that have already been burned, remains that the body no longer uses and need to be expelled.
The ribs are intercalated with thousands of muscle fibers to provide the necessary movement in accordance with the demand of the moment. In activity and at rest the respiratory muscles are activated to work, causing the ribs to move (moving side ways only if your system is free, good examples are babies, young children, vertebrate animals…), and together with the action of the diaphragm they force the air out of the lungs, this provides space for air to enter again, facilitating the continuous exchange of gases.
This is a system that is constantly functioning and self-regulating when it's allowed to. It is a process completely controlled by the brain. Yet it can be interfered with when we try to do it for the body, instead of allowing our body to do it for us.
The ‘professional breathers’, mostly singers and wind instrumentalists, are proven to have unstable breathing patterns due to interference of their system and due to habit. Most of them have no idea that by being ‘professional breathers’ they are a great danger to themselves and to others.
Bringing consciousness into how we use ourselves during any activity will help you free your whole system, allowing your body to breath for you.
As far as I know the only technique that brings that kind of awareness is the Alexander Technique, it allows us to co-ordinate the breath into rhythm, during activity and at rest.
Working from the Alexander principle I experienced myself that breathing becomes a continuos movement, just like the waves of the sea: in-breath and out-breath will smoothly cross each other in an ongoing process.
As far as I know the only technique that brings that kind of awareness is the Alexander Technique, it allows us to co-ordinate the breath into rhythm, during activity and at rest.
Working from the Alexander principle I experienced myself that breathing becomes a continuos movement, just like the waves of the sea: in-breath and out-breath will smoothly cross each other in an ongoing process.
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