Tag: breath

One Step at a Time

by Jody, posted in how to begin, painscience, tools - breath, tools - movement

Whew. These last few weeks, months, or years have really been a lot, haven’t they?

You may or may not have noticed, but other than Monday it has almost been a year since writing my last blog post here, “Maybe there’s time to rest”. I guess a rest, break or pause was needed.

How about you? Have you been able to find some rest, take a break from it all?

And Monday was also the first time I’ve been out for a walk in almost a month. If you know me at all, this is usually a daily occurrence. Out in nature, looking at the trees, taking in the fresh air – all of that. With ice and snow still on the ground, I joined a gym where I will walk on a treadmill for the time being.

Why the change of scenery?

I had a bad fall. On the ice and snow in our driveway. I thought I may have broken or cracked some ribs, but x-rays ruled that out. Still, progress of any kind of movement has been slow. Any plans of walking, skating, or skiing tossed aside.

This also brought forward personally, what we can all expect to experience from time to time – that being, feeling, experiencing pain. Much of what I teach and talk about with others, now applied (once again) to my own situation.

Immediately, how I moved during the day changed. What I was able to do changed. My thoughts around going outside changed. My worries about healing, how long it would take – all of it changed.

Luckily, my beliefs and understanding about my body didn’t. First, landing firm and hard on my torso with a steel water bottle right where my sternum is, reaffirmed my belief that these bones of ours are generally pretty robust. Particularly, those protecting our precious heart and lungs.

My breath changed. I often held my breath, trying to create stability particularly when I had to bend over or get up. I physically ‘held my body’, when sneezing or coughing to try and decrease the pain.

How I moved changed. I found ways to do things in a way that was not natural or normal to me in order to work-around the pain. When outside, I took very small, slow and guarded steps.

Mostly, I didn’t move a lot which is not great for me or anyone, really. I couldn’t clean the house (that might be a positive….). Many of my daily routines were put on hold. But the worst part by was not being able to go outside for a walk.

I’ve given it some time, almost a month now, and though there is still some pain or discomfort I am determined to get moving again. I also wanted to start lifting weights … but it may still be too much to work on my upper body, so I’ll instead do some lifting, pressing or pulling with my lower body. Not sure how that will go as I do still feel tension in my ribcage when exerting too much. We shall see.

Generally though, I know getting back to doing what is most important to me is the first and most vital thing I can do.

Pain doesn’t just change your body. It changes so much about your life. It’s by exploring all of these things, these changes, and slowly over time re-calibrating, re-patterning them, will help to change it back again.

Will it take longer, if you’re habits and patterns have been different for a while now? Maybe it’s been years that you’ve experienced pain. It’s good to know, however, that sensors/detectors around neurons in your body change every 3-4 days so with consistent practice it’s likely you’ll notice a change in sensitivity or pain, often within 8 weeks.

If someone I’m working with is experiencing really bad pain I might suggest they visualize movement. Or maybe there’s a particular area that is painful, so we’ll often begin somewhere else that’s not painful. I might suggest they begin by just moving their hands. Opening, closing, opening, closing fingers to palms, alongside an easeful breath. By giving your body and your brain a new (pain-free) experience these ‘painful’ patterns can be disrupted. There’s a lot more science to all of it, but I won’t bore you with it. (I try now to only do that to family and friends who have to listen.)

With spring around the corner, I so want to be ready for it. It’s not always easy taking steps forward. But in my mind, so worth it!

How about you? What is it you REALLY want to do? And how might I help you with that?

Curious to know how we can work together?

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Turning off, turning in

by Jody, posted in tools - movement, tools - rest, tools - stillness

If you’re feeling stressed or wound up at the end of your day it might be helpful to notice, perhaps try to shift it, BEFORE trying to head off to sleep.

Let me preface this by saying you may not be ready for slow, restful or focusing-in practices. It may be that you feel the need to move in ways that burn off energy. Maybe rocking or swaying from side-to-side, bouncing a little, shaking things out. Perhaps some dancing in the dark… might be what’s needed in the moment.

However, if you’d like to try some ways to calm the nervous system you might practice one of these restful poses. Or maybe do them after the movement mentioned above. Something like legs up the wall, providing support and perhaps release for the back muscles, or tension elsewhere in the body. Or maybe the beginnings of turning inward, so a forward fold on a chair, or over a bolster.

This doesn’t have to take a long time. You may want to stay in one of these poses for 5 to 10 minutes. See what happens.

Notice the length and the quality of your breath. Notice if it shifts at all, while in the pose.

Notice your thoughts. Feelings.

Maybe it’s helpful for you to listen to calming music, be in a place with lowered, soft lighting.

Taking a few minutes may help to make the transition into sleep a little more easeful. Try it. I’d love to know if anything changes at all for you.

Riding the Waves

by Jody, posted in Uncategorized

I can imagine it is difficult these days to feel safe. Find stable ground.

Creating a sense of safety for yourself, like anything, will be unique to you based on your life, your history, experience or environment. Now more than ever, probably a challenge.

For me, getting close to the ground helps. That is, literally. close to the ground. Sitting on the floor with lots of support below helps me to feel secure. Find stability. Another way for me is to find something familiar. That might be my breath. Noticing each inhale, each exhale. Yet for someone who is asthmatic or perhaps experiences anxiety, focusing on the breath might not be ‘the thing’.

Maybe it’s sitting next to your dog, or cat. Perhaps feeling the rhythm of their breath, their purring helps calm your nervous system. Providing that felt sense of safety. We often do that with those we love and care for. Just ‘being with’ them, sitting next to, holding each other’s gaze. Hearing a soft familiar voice might be soothing.

What is helpful to you? You might want to notice that during your day. And if you feel safe, how do you know that? What do you notice or feel in your body? Maybe your breath is long and slow, your muscles soft and relaxed. Your heart rate or blood pressure isn’t noticeable.

If you’re finding it hard to notice, try the opposite. It might be a different experience and one not always welcome but what do you feel, when you’re not safe? How do you know that? Where do you feel it? Hard to breathe, muscles tense, heart beating fast, sweaty palms?

What do you notice about your pain, in either of these states? Or your emotions, thoughts? It might be something worthwhile exploring, during your days. Having an anchor, a place or practice to go to when it feels like these big waves keep crashing down one after another, relentless at times, can be useful.

Hopefully the days will become more certain in the months to come, but it the meantime, this might be a useful practice to cultivate.

#dailypractice #daytime #safety #grounding #stability #breath #waves #uncertainty

It is, a practice

by Jody, posted in mindfulness

These dinner rolls I made to accompany a warming pot of stew on Friday night, were not too bad. Though it wasn’t my first time making them. I recall the first attempt, some 25 years ago. Not. So. Good.

I had to practice a little. Take some time to get a feel for the dough, figure out how to make rolls, the many pieces of the task at hand.

While working with someone 1:1 in a private session, we usually meet every week or two. The reason being is after an assessment, clarifying of goals or focus, whatever we decide to use in terms of practice… is meant to be, well, practiced. For a while. Noticing any effects.

If you’ve been following along with the morning practices over the last week or so, I’m going to pause and allow space for that. You might go back through the various options. There may be some you are already exploring, using. They are not meant to be ‘the thing’ but rather to be used as an exploration. An inquiry as to what you notice, what feels useful. What does not. If you want to go back and review, the posts are noted below:

  • Nov 3 – Here I am, again
  • Nov 4 – Softening
  • Nov 5 – To breathe
  • Nov 6 – Pause, notice
  • Nov 9 – Ease, into morning
  • Nov 10 – Sense making
  • Nov 11 – Warming up

You might benefit from some included here or what feels right for you might be something altogether different. These are a few suggestions.

We’ll pick this up again on Nov 23rd looking at various practices you might choose to do during the day. Then again, we’ll pause for a week before moving on to evening practices starting on Dec 7th.  I hope you’ll stay tuned. Let me know If you have any noticings, feedback or questions along the way.

If this is something you’d like to explore with me privately, I currently offer 1:1 sessions via Zoom. Information can be found here.

Ease, into morning

by Jody, posted in how to begin, tools - movement

Hard to imagine what it felt like so long ago… sitting through a long-haul flight, train ride or long drive to go visit far off friends, in far off places. I’m sure so many, miss it a lot. Yet at the same time the trip itself may have been uncomfortable. Feeling constrained. Unbearable at times. You might get a sense of a similar feeling sitting through endless zoom meetings, or just cooped-up wherever you find yourself most of the day.

You might feel stiff. Sore. Boxed in. If you’re a little older like me, it may take more time or effort to get moving easefully after a long bout of inactivity.  

The same might be said when waking from sleep in the morning. Unless you happen to be a big mover while you sleep, I wonder if you’re rather stationary for the most part? If so, what might be a nourishing way to move your body before getting out of bed?

How might you make the transition from laying in bed to being upright in gravity, a little more easeful?

Come along for this short movement practice. Some of which you may like, some of which you may not. But it might inspire you to move just a little…  making the transition from stillness to mobility, ready to begin the day.

I DON’T DO ALL THESE THINGS.

Yet, as a minimum, I do a few movements with my feet. They are where I tend to hold tension so I like to give them some time, space and gentle movement before I step into the day. It seems to be a good thing.  

What might you notice, what might feel Just Right, For You?

#morningpractice #mornings #move #gentlemovement #wrists #hands #arms #legs #feet, #ankles #time #space #goslow #startsmall #JRFU #JustRightForYou #yogatherapy #yogatoolsforlife

To Breathe

by Jody, posted in how to begin, tools - breath

Can you bring your attention to your breath? What do you notice?

Immediately following these two questions, your breath is likely to change somewhat. Just bringing your attention to it, is enough to alter it a little.

Walk into most yoga classes and there are often very specific instructions given as to how to breathe. I’ve done this as well when teaching. I still do from time to time, so I’m not saying to never do so. Yet, we might consider when and why it might be useful and appropriate.

Might we begin by just noticing it?

Leave it be.

Allow your breath to respond… rather than consider it is another thing to be fixed. Or regulated, standardized, conformed to. Imposed upon. Being asked to disregard your own natural need or rhythm, during a given experience or situation.

If you’d like to follow along, here’s a 4-min recording you might use to explore your breath early one morning. Or maybe another time during the day. There’s no right or wrong here. Rather, an opportunity to tune in to what might be a place of noticing what we feel, what ‘state of being’ we’re in, what we are experiencing. (Click the link below. You may be directed to another link, or not, depending on where/how you’re viewing it.)

With consistent practice of this checking in with your breath, your body, you might find a pattern. Maybe a baseline of some kind. This might be easier in the morning before you’ve moved or thought too much about the day ahead. But it may be at another time that works well for you.

What does your breath feel like? And then later in the day, notice when it changes. And it surely will from time to time.

Be curious. Check it out. See what you notice. I’d love to hear how it goes for you.

#morningpractice #mornings #breath #breathe #needs #baseline #kindness #compassion #curiosity #feelintoit #feeling #noticing #awareness #time #space #slowdown #yogatherapy #yogatoolsforlife #JRFU #JustRightForYou #startsmall #goslow

Nourishing, Responsive Breath

by Jody, posted in tools - breath

I could really go on and on about breath, from many different angles and actually have been sent down the rabbit hole for a few days now wondering how I might approach this, in a single blog post.

Our breath, the in-breath and the out-breath happen quite naturally, right?  Of course, they do. It is one of the most important things necessary to our survival. We do not have to think about it. It is just one of the many wonderous systems in our body, working behind the scenes.

However, if you look at how a baby breathes, and how many of us older folks breathe, you might notice a difference. How in babies and young children it almost seems like their whole body moves when they breathe. How their big, soft bellies expand with each inhale. For us, often, not so much.

What’s different?

There could be a whole mess of reasons, but the one I’ll explore here is one you’ve perhaps been exploring over the past week.

Muscular tension might be involved when we hold our breath, or when it doesn’t flow so freely.

What might create this tension?

Last week, I suggested you might explore ordinary movements  you do in a day (like making your bed, maybe it’s vacuuming, perhaps while brushing your teeth) and are they perhaps a little beyond what feels easeful for you? It might be the way you feel while doing something, when rushed. When it feels like there’s not enough time and space to do so (maybe when you’re eating, for instance). Tension might have something to do with your thoughts and emotions. The context in which you live, the people you connect with, while talking, using (or not using) your voice.  

Generally, muscles and tissues may become strained, fatigued over time if they are recruited, or over-recruited, ‘switched on’ a lot. We may not be aware of this, particularly if ongoing over a long period of time. It often becomes our usual ‘pattern’ rather than what might be a responding or releasing (and relaxing) as required.

There are also some areas of the body where this tension might get in the way of a full, easeful, ‘natural’ breath we see in a baby. I think of the stomach or belly area for one. How many people unconsciously hold or constrict in this area for a multitude of reasons? This, which happens to be the area containing your primary breathing muscle, the respiratory diaphragm. Or might someone hold tension unconsciously in their pelvic floor (diaphragm) muscles, again for a variety of reasons?  I think of all those ‘core exercises’ we’ve been told are good for us or how often women socially, culturally, ‘suck in their stomach. Or perhaps you’ve been told to do kegels at one time or another, or hold, strengthen or tighten up your pelvic floor muscles. Which may be useful. Or maybe not.

Both diaphragms are meant to move with each breath yet with tension and tightness in one or both, might this change how we breathe?

Holding tension might not allow for a full, deep breath such as when our respiratory diaphragm moves down, creating the in-breath. Maybe, we hold tension in the pelvic floor, without realizing it and again, not allowing for optimal breath.

Now, think about what is more important to our body, to our brain, but breathing. And how this regular intake of oxygen not only provides nourishment our body needs to survive, but it also forms or influences our physiological state. For instance if we are under threat, or even perceived threat there are immediate changes to our physiology, including our breath, that takes place to aid in our survival.

Which is all great when we’ve broken a bone, need to pull our hand away from fire, stay clear of toxic fumes or something similar. Back in the old days, we would need all our senses, these sensations, to help us stay clear of dangerous predators like tigers and the like.

What happens now though, is often we are unaware of:

1. The threats (real or perceived) that we encounter on a daily basis. These aren’t likely threats like running from tigers, but threats in terms of our relationships, our jobs, our finances, our communities, our environment. How much of the news do you see, threatens your sense of safety? Does this create a sense of tension, stress, holding of your breath perhaps, in your body?

2. The response of your nervous system and subsequent physiology that accompanies this. You may have read that stress is not good for the immune system, for your mental health, etc. but there are also effects on other areas or systems that occur including your pain system. If pain is meant to protect you, yet you ‘feel’ threatened, stressed, and tense might that turn UP the volume of pain? Have you ever noticed a correlation (not saying cause, here) in your stress levels and your pain?

Conversely, how might a sense of safety, turn DOWN the volume of pain? Even a few simple words from a parent to a child such as “you’ll be okay” often turns down a pain response.

  • Can we learn to notice our breath and what that might tell us about how we feel?
  • Can we find a breath that is supportive for us, when it’s called upon?
  • Can we find a breath that is supportive for for us, when we need rest, find calm, sleep?

There is no right or wrong in this.

Rather, can we find a responsive, flexible breath that supports us for whatever it is we’d like to do? To live in an optimal state of health? As a first step, can be begin to notice this at all?

If you’d like to read in-depth about the breath, yoga therapy, current findings, and research about breath related to pain care, you might check out Chapter 8 by Shelly Prosko, in Yoga and Science in Pain Care – Treating the Person in Pain.

Personally, attention to breath and subsequent practices has had the most influence I find, when working with people who experience persistent pain. Time and time again. Though as Shelly rightly points out “the practices must be individualized to meet the unique needs of the person.” Telling people to take big, deep breaths, may not be ‘the answer’ or ‘the fix’ for everyone which is often what I see out in the main stream media. Suggesting there is some kind of ‘ideal’ breath, for all people, at all times.

I was looking at this tree (pictured above) in my back yard at lunch time today. It sways and flows. Appears strong, yet supple. Not rigid, brittle, tight or constricted. Takes in nourishment, gives back some. Might we be like this tree … A breath in. A breath out. Responding as need be, in any given moment to what life is asking of us.

I’ll be diving into this in more detail with information, a little bit of research and experiential practices in Week 4 of my upcoming online ‘Creating New Pathways‘ course. Want to learn more?

more info here

Interested to learn more about this thing called ‘yoga therapy’? Some FAQ’s plus links for ways yoga therapy can help, information for healthcare providers, where we’re at in terms of current research and yoga, yoga therapy.

Learn more about yoga therapy

“You said what?” (Actually, I didn’t)

by Jody, posted in tools - breath

I look at these flowers and wonder what happens between having a felt sense of freedom and space or that of feeling tightly clenched and constricted. What creates the dance between these two opposites in my my body, my breath, perhaps even my voice?

Recently I find myself rather tongue-tied, influenced each day by current events.

We celebrated Canada Day on Wednesday. Yes we did. Yet, this celebration doesn’t quite feel the same for me these past few years, given what I’m seeing and learning about our county’s history and what Canada Day might (not) mean for our indigenous population or others, unlike me.

I wanted to acknowledge how much I love this country. Having lived abroad for so many years I hold deep appreciation for not only the land, but the culture, society, values, all it’s people. Yet I didn’t want to not also acknowledge it’s dark history and so… I mostly said nothing.

I find uncertainty in knowing what to say, how I might use my voice regarding events unfolding, day by day. How #blacklivesmatter. The need to acknowledge the disparity and racism that exists. Which is not recent, but rather long standing. I still don’t know how to express my thoughts, even here, as I write. I have much to learn and therefore … I mostly, say nothing. Yet, that can’t be right, either.

There’s no way forward in standing still, or silence.

Usually I love to talk, to speak out, as noted in my last blog post. So this not talking does not come easy to me. However, I do notice times, places, situations where I expressly, consciously ‘hold my tongue’ as they say, for a wide variety of reasons.

What happens when there is something you want to say, but you’re afraid to say it? How does this happen in my body, this holding back, this silencing? How do I manage this? Surely, musculature is involved. Therefore my brain, my nervous system play a part. A thought or feeling proceeding it.

I wonder what happens to my breath, when I consciously hold back saying something? When there is a conflict between what I want to express but am unsure how to proceed? Or, perhaps if I don’t believe what I have to say matters. Or maybe this expressing of my self, is not welcomed in a particular environment or social context?

What effect might that have on physiology, my body, my breath? How do I even notice that in my body? What do I feel, how does that feel? Do I even notice when this occurs?

Do you ever notice for yourself, times when you don’t express yourself, hold back on your opinions, aren’t sure what to say? I can say there have been more than enough times when I have done so. In work situations, for sure. But also with family, friends, even strangers I encounter. For me, these are often situations when there is discomfort, conflict or uncertainty already permeating the air, circling into the mix. It is a pattern, I’ve come to recognize.

Today and over the weekend, try this: notice what happens to your breath when you speak with someone. Notice if you pause, give yourself time to think about your response. Notice if you allow others to complete what they’re saying or do you tend to interrupt? Can you feel your breath supporting your voice or does your voice or breath feel held, or tight? Can you notice any of this happening to the person you’re in conversation with? Do you feel comfortable or uncomfortable in what you wish to express? Do you hold back?

Or the opposite. What do you notice about your breath, your voice, when you’re singing your favorite song or in easy conversation with a trusted friend or partner?

What allows one to open up, speak freely? What might not? How might paying attention to your breath be an indicator of this?

I’m interested, to hear how it goes for you. Anything you notice about your breath, your voice. Your thoughts as you begin to speak or decide not to speak. What happens? How does it feel?

Let’s circle back on Monday and consider how our breath might have some influence or relationship to discomfort, and perhaps the experience of pain.

“Your graduation exam for this exercise is to practice breathing during an argument or confrontation”. – Donna Farhi

If you’re interested in diving into this type of exploration or other practices and how they might influence your experience of pain, I offer online 1:1 private sessions.

Interested in 1:1 sessions?

Reference: This exploration, these practices that I’ve been suggesting are from Donna Farhi’s The Breathing Book.

Eating, breathing, naturally?

by Jody, posted in painscience, tools - breath
@thedailypalette Vancouver, BC

Such a beautiful tray of food. No wonder eating comes naturally to me. Rather like breathing. But it may not be so for you and I suggest that perhaps our breathing is not always natural either, but is rather responsive and adaptive.

I experience this in other areas of my life, as well. For instance, everything about being a mother did not always come naturally for me. It began with a struggle to breast-feed our first born. I became anxious, stressed and upset when this did not go according to plan. I had to make a call for support and learn from someone. All was well, soon enough.

Next, however, was being home alone all day in the dead of a cold Canadian winter with a baby, requiring so much time and attention. Not only exhausting (compounded by sleepless nights) but the social isolation I experienced was new to me as well, and did not come naturally. Knowing what to do, how to best raise this human being was a challenge. Parenting as being ‘natural’? In some ways, yes, of course. In many ways, not so much. When it didn’t feel natural, I felt like I failed, somehow.

Back to food and eating though. As I said, it does come quite naturally to me. In fact it comes to me far more often than I might need. Hard to resist when images like the one above, presents itself.

Mostly, we don’t pay much attention to these natural things we do until they become a problem, an issue somehow, in how we might like to live our life.

For today’s exploration let’s combine breathing with eating. How might that go?

Much to my family’s dismay I have a tendency to choke, fairly frequently, when eating. Part of it, I’ve noticed, I’m often rushing. Second to that, I’m often talking. Our dinner time is ‘family time’ and usually consists of our coming together prepared for much debate about the events and/or news of the day. When given the opportunity, I do as well, love to talk. Rather similar to the eating thing.

Meanwhile, what’s more important to survival than breathing?

Breathing is going to sneak in ‘as needed’ whether we want it to, whether we make time and space for it, or not. Whether we’re conscious of it or not.

I wonder how eating might go for me if instead of paying attention to what I eat, how much I eat, or when I’m talking, I might just notice how I breathe when I eat.

What might that bring to my awareness?

Perhaps there is something around eating that might be noticeable for you. Maybe instead of choking like me, perhaps you have a tendency to over-eat, or it could be you under-eat. Or perhaps you have some digestive issues.

Try this: Set aside one meal a day in which you do not feel any time constraints. Let yourself breath slowly as you eat. Notice how it feels to allow your belly to release as you chew and swallow your food. Monitor your breathing if you can. Notice what you feel during and after your meal. Again, try not to judge anything. Perhaps there is nothing to notice or perhaps there is.

Curious, isn’t it?

Check back on Friday when we’ll do one more exploration and it is a worthy one, I think. Also, I wonder how the movement and breathing exploration went for you, from earlier this week. You can sign up below to get all these posts.

Also, just to let you know, I’ll soon be announcing a new 6-week online course where breath is one of the things we’ll be exploring and working with. One piece of the puzzle, when we explore various aspects to consider if you experience pain. You can learn more about the ‘Creating New Pathways’ program by clicking the link below.

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What might be needed in this moment?

by Jody, posted in mindfulness, proprioception, tools - breath, tools - movement

When looking at this picture, I imagine I may have been holding my breath in the moment. Quite a natural response, if I felt I didn’t have quite the stability and balance required to make it to the other side without falling. Perhaps I did feel able, comfortable, and so my breath flowed easefully at the time. For the most part, whatever occurred was probably not something I noticed or was aware of at the time.

It’s interesting to note how our breath might fluctuate throughout the days based on different needs or experiences.

Last week I suggested rather than bringing awareness to how your breath moves, which is often what we’re asked to pay attention to I suggested we might also focus on when it doesn’t. When you might be holding your breath. I wonder how it went for you? Did you notice anything?

This week, let’s explore this a little more.

Today and tomorrow, why not pay attention to your breath while you’re moving or doing an particular activity. It might be during a time or activity from last week, when you noticed this momentary breath-holding.

Choose something where you are not pressured or rushed for time. Maybe it’s when you’re making your bed in the morning, or perhaps brushing your teeth. Another might be when your moving from sitting in a chair to standing up. Practice, allowing your breath to move freely as best you can, as an integral part of the activity. Notice, if the activity or movement is made easier or more difficult when you breathe freely. Try not to judge it as good or bad. Just be curious.

I’d love your feedback about what you notice.

Then on Wednesday, we’ll explore this in another specific activity in our daily life. You might be surprised. Check back then, or sign up below to regularly receive these blog posts.