Do you prefer Box Breathing or Heart Breathing?
In this video, Sasha Yakovleva introduces a new breathing exercise during the BreathMastery program, which she created specifically for that meeting. Every gathering of the Buteyko BreathMastery & International Community program starts with a new Buteyko breathing exercise and an explanation of its mechanics and benefits. This is one of many examples of the CO2-boosting guidance and techniques used by the members of this ongoing support program.
This exercise, which is called “A Pause at the Heart”, encourages participants to visualize breathing in through the top of their heads, then pause at the hearts while doing a breath-hold, followed by exhaling through their heels. This exercise combines slow breathing, and breath-holds promoting an increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the lungs. This creates a sense of calm and deep relaxation.
Sasha begins this part of the BreathMastery meeting by discussing a popular breathing exercise called box breathing and its advatages and disadvantages. She emphasizes that while box breathing can be helpful, it is not suitable for everyone due to its one-size-fits-all approach. As a reference, she recalls a teaching she received from Dr. Novozhilov at the Buteyko Clinic in Moscow regarding a type of instructions given in yoga regarding slow breathing. She explains that traditional breathing recommendations are often meant for visualization rather than a literal process to help individuals regulate their breathing patterns.
The promotion of calm and deep relaxation is particularly crucial in our fast-paced and often stressful lives. The “Pause at the Heart” is one of many techniques explored on a bi-weekly basis in the BreathMastery program.
