The Little Book of Breathing: Simple practices for connecting with your breath (The Gaia Little Books Series)

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Stress hormones or relaxant hormones are released in the body based on how you are breathing at the time. When you breathe, you have more power over it than you think.

James Nestor takes a deep dive into the fascinating and surprisingly mysterious world of breathing. "How mysterious could it be, Heidi?" I hear you ask. It's something everyone does without thinking literally a few times every minute every day of their lives. You’ll learn about the Buteyko Method, various Pranayama exercises, breathing techniques used by Navy Seals, and dozens of other actionable tools to add to your breathwork arsenal, all while learning the science and history behind the practices. The main moral of the story is, mouth breathers look stupid for a reason. If possible, only breathe through your nose. If you enjoy learning about the human body, inner balance, or longevity, this is an easy book to recommend. While it’s sometimes challenging to describe how to perform exercises without audio or visual guidance, Jesse is second-to-none in his ability to guide the reader through these techniques. Breathing. It’s almost as automatic as our heart beat. In fact, it’s so integral to our bodies that we don’t even notice our breathing most of the time. We notice during illness and exercise, of course. But other than that, we just let our bodies do their thing. Inhale—bring in oxygen; exhale—release carbon dioxide. If there is anything that could unite us, it’s the fact that we all have to breathe. These are the best books on breathwork and an ancient practice. What is breathwork?

What’s YOUR Favorite Breathwork Resource?

What are those claims? The author states that breathing can cure scoliosis, strokes, asthma, bacteremia caused by injecting E. Coli into a patients veins, etc. Nearly every disease category is invoked. Only in his final disclaimers at the end of the book does he say “if you have stage 4 cancer, these breathing exercises won’t cure that.” Could it be your journey? And which breathing technique suits your problem best? I wasn't always clear on that, and descriptions of breathing techniques are no replacement for videos (better) and actual coaching with an expert (best). This simple combination of rapid breathing, evocative music, and bodywork helps people heal in a safe and supportive way. The author spent a decade traveling all around the world learning about various modern and historical teachings about breathing. In addition to thoroughly researching the topic, he participates in several scientific studies as well. Everything that was revealed was interesting and encourages you to research further on your own.

I love Dr. Buteyko's work very much. This book talks about theButeyko Method, which is a set of breathing exercises that can lessen or even get rid of asthma symptoms. Nestor explains that Native American Indians had perfect teeth and very minimal respiratory problems, a fact which he attributes to a cultural practice of breathing through their noses. The "science" that this is based on, is the writings of a painter in 1830. Nestor chooses not to consider the effects that air pollution, physical activity, genetics, population density, etc

Homo Arcticus Method: How Power Breathing Technique, Extreme Cold Therapy and Strong Commitment Can Make You Strong, Healthy, Happy and Change Your Life Forever (Personal Growth Book) by Lee Strong

Why it made our list: Just as the title implies, this book wastes no time getting to the meat of how you can use the breath to alter your physiology. It contains dozens of patterns, exercises, and techniques to help you deliver the exact effect you’re looking for. Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can jump-start athletic performance; rejuvenate internal organs; halt snoring, asthma, and autoimmune disease; and even straighten scoliotic spines. None of this should be possible, and yet it is. The author submits himself as the subject of experiments, so the descriptions are visceral (you will not want to try the 10-day mouth-breathing test). The writing is vivid and in a light tone. Buteyko, MD-PHD, the person who came up with the Buteyko technique, wrote this book with the help of two doctors in Moscow and one in Moscow. The Way of the Iceman: How the Wim Hof Method Creates Radiant, Long term Health by Wim Hof I would have thought that breathing was pretty simple and well understood. Then I read this book. Now I know it's a hugely complex and wondrous process which we need to understand much better. Fascinating and provocative stuff' - Daniel M. Davis, author of The Beautiful Cure

You may be new to breathwork, a seasoned practitioner, or just curious on how breathwork can benefit you. In any case, this article will point to informative books on breathwork to give you groundbreaking context, knowledge, and perspective.

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Author James Nestor on how breathing properly can improve overall health". CBS News. September 10, 2020 . Retrieved February 15, 2021. Just as inhaling is important exhaling is equally as important, it's important to have full exhales. As for the actual breathing ideas? Why precisely 5.5 seconds? What makes this better than either 5 or 6 seconds? Outside of a modern “app” (the stress of whose use might negate breathing benefits) who’s counting half-seconds? That said, the subtitle of his “Deep” book containing the phrase “renegade science” should say something. Nestor, James (May 21, 2020). "The Healing Power of Proper Breathing". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved June 3, 2020.