Dear Thomas,
I wanted to thank you for sharing the Buteyko Method with me. It’s one of the most amazing things I have ever done in my life. I learned of the Buteyko holistic treatment for asthma many years ago and even bought a tape from Australia on how to do the method. For some reason, I never watched it in its entirety and never applied the techniques even though I suffered from asthma.
As I explained when we first talked, I have had asthma and have used an inhaler at least twice a day for nearly 30 years, essentially all my adult life.
I am a holistic chiropractor, an acupuncturist and nutritionist in private practice since 1978. I have been a Kundalini Yoga practitioner and teacher for over 35 years and, as you know, breathing techniques are an integral part of yoga. I have studied these wonderful healing arts out a passion for understanding the road to health to help my patients and I have diligently applied what I’ve learned to help heal myself. I have attempted to correct my asthma all these years with all these techniques, with no permanent relief.
A few months ago a friend sent me the NY Times article on Buteyko Center USA. I saw the title Buteyko and filed it away for future reading. After all, near the very top of my goal list for the last thirty years I wrote study and implement Buteyko but never took the necessary actions steps.
While I was studying to teach yogic breathing techniques to future yoga teachers in November of 2009, I ran across a statement from my yoga teacher to practice a specific mantra that would solve all breathing problems. I committed to chanting the mantra daily for 31 minutes and sat back waiting for the results.
Four or five days later I stumbled upon the NY Times article buried in my inbox and decided to call your center right now to find a local referral for a Buteyko practitioner to finally start learning and implementing the Buteyko method. To my dismay, you said there was no local teacher but that we could do long distance learning via the internet. I reluctantly agreed to give it a shot, my hopes and prayers for resolution of my asthma and my newly found mantra prodding me on.
During the fall of 2009, my asthma had taken a turn for the worse, prompting me to use my rescue inhaler 3 or 4 times a week in addition to my preventative inhaler. I even went to a new doctor to see about getting a different prescription, dreading the idea of having to take an inhaler with steroids.
Within a few days of our first session, I stopped needing my rescue inhaler but continued on with my Buteyko Breathing exercises, encouraged. After a few weeks I felt stabilized but I still needed the preventative inhaler twice a day and started feeling discouraged. After all, maybe this Buteyko method wasn’t good enough to cure my asthma completely in six weeks even though I’d suffered nearly 30 years. Strange how impatience makes us think funny things.
During our next consult I expressed my frustration and you patiently explained that the Buteyko practices had to actually be done 3 times a day (like you had instructed me) and that I should have patience. Within a few days of re-committing to my exercises, my asthma dramatically improved and my need for the inhalers dramatically decreased. With my doctor’s blessing, I was able to completely wean myself from the inhalers.
It’s been over six weeks now since I’ve last used an inhaler. I still do my breathing and relaxation exercises 3 times a day and I still stick to my diet fastidiously. And I’ve clearly recognized that when my chest feels tight, when I feel like I might have an attack, I can just take a break, do my breathing and the attack will stop. Even though the chiropractic, acupuncture, and dietary/supplement regimens I received all helped some, the breathing was the key component to my relief.
This is a miracle. I thank you and your staff from the depths of my being. I only pray that all people who suffer from any kind of breathing difficulties find this wonderful Buteyko method and can be relieved from the burden of inhaling their life from a drug instead of breathing easily, freely, and consciously through their own, healed bodies.
Humbly yours,
Dr. Gurusahay Khalsa
Dunwoody, GA
