The Body School: The Story of Breath

The Body School: The Story of Breath

The Body School is a series of lectures/practices designed to potentiate your health, wellness & body expertise. All are welcome. There is no pre-req to studying here, other than excitement to learn and an open mind.

The Story of Breath is a ten-part course in the art and science of why our breath matters so much to our mental health and physical well-being.

Each two-hour segment included a lesson in the respiratory system and typically a pranayama set to compliment the discussion.

Topics include:

- What is in our air?
- The Kosha theory in parallel with the layers of the atmosphere
- The Respiratory System 101
- Basic pranayama practices
- The Nervous System: What is the ANS, the PNS and SNS
- Review of the diaphragm
- Why we should know about the vagus nerve
- The Polyvagal theory in brief
- A bit into chronic stress, PTSD and "shutdown"
- Luminaries of yoga: BKS Iyengar
- The Gita and Sutras on pranayama
- What is Kundalini?
- Brief anatomy on accessory muscles of respiration
- Brief energy anatomy of pranayama
- The "Prana Vayus"
- Joe Dispenza on pranayama
- Pranayama & dis-ease working with cancer rehab, cystic fibrosis
- Sleep apnea and touching upon James Nestor's book "Breath"

And more....

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The Body School: The Story of Breath
  • The Story of Breath: Day One
    1:56:54
    The Story of Breath: Day One

    The Story of Breath: Day One

    Class overview:

    - My personal story of "why" pranayama
    - The symbolism of breath in 2020: Covid, George Floyd
    - We get into a bit of science: The basics of what is in the air?
    - The Breathosphere and the Atmosphere vs The Kosha Theory of Energy Anatomy
    - What happens on the inhale and the exhale...

  • The Story of Breath: Day Two
    2:01:29
    The Story of Breath: Day Two

    The Story of Breath: Day Two

    Class overview:

    - What prana is and what pranayama means.
    - The basic pranayama types and we experiment together:

    Nadi shodana
    Ujjayi
    Bhastrika and kaphalabhati
    Bhramari
    Sitali

    The why and hows...

  • The Story of Breath: Day Three
    2:10:21
    The Story of Breath: Day Three

    The Story of Breath: Day Three

    Class overview:

    - Today is robust in conversation around the human nervous system. If you're new to breath practices, "nerve cleansing" is a term referenced throughout much of yogic literature (old and new). Pranayama can help or hinder us depending upon where we're at emotionally or physically:...

  • The Story of Breath: Day Four
    2:06:19
    The Story of Breath: Day Four

    The Story of Breath: Day Four

    Overview:

    Today's lesson is less science and more into the heart of pranayama: the history, leaders and luminaries of pranayama and in other traditions.

    - We begin with some exercises for the vagus nerve :) eyeball and neck releases
    - There is a 15 minute talk I play via YouTube of Iyengar spea...

  • The Story of Breath: Day Five
    2:00:57
    The Story of Breath: Day Five

    The Story of Breath: Day Five

    Class Overview:

    - Q & A to start
    - We BEGIN with a 30 minute go-to breath set I teach all the time
    - Luminaries: we look at what the Wim Hof method is all about and watch a 7 min video of him talk
    - The accessory muscles (in brief) for respiration
    - Depression, anxiety and pranayama
    - Energy...

  • The Story of Breath: Day Six
    2:02:18
    The Story of Breath: Day Six

    The Story of Breath: Day Six

    Class overview:

    Today is half lecture, half lymphatic kriya practice:

    - A discussion on the vayus or the five "winds" of the body and how they intersect with the "nadis" and chakras.

    - We practice a kundalini kriya. A heads up that it is intense and good for your lymphatic and immune system, i...

  • The Story of Breath: Day Seven
    1:58:34
    The Story of Breath: Day Seven

    The Story of Breath: Day Seven

    Class Overview:

    Today we begin with Q & A and a 20min talk from Joe Dispenza that ties together all of what has been taught in the last few days.

    - We follow it with a pranayama practice designed integrate the proposed theory of pulling energy up to the brain, via the cerebral spinal fluid...

  • The Story of Breath: Day Eight
    1:56:04
    The Story of Breath: Day Eight

    The Story of Breath: Day Eight

    Class Overview:

    - Today we review some conditions of the respiratory system.

    - I thought it would be helpful to also review what Joe Dispenza said with some visual aid & two two min neuroscience clips

    - Nasal cycles - what is this?

    - A bit on why apnea is bad for us again

    - There are TWO...

  • The Story of Breath: Day Nine
    1:52:40
    The Story of Breath: Day Nine

    The Story of Breath: Day Nine

    Class Overview:

    - A video clip of my teacher speaking on pranayama (7min)
    - First hour is Q & A - I pop quiz you! Review. Repetition. Learn.

    - We do the Kundalini Kriya for Relaxing and Releasing Fear. This is not an easy breath set but especially effective if you're currently:
    a) lethargic...

  • The Story of Breath: Day Ten
    1:58:31
    The Story of Breath: Day Ten

    The Story of Breath: Day Ten

    Class Overview:

    This is the last class that is mainly wrap-up with Q & A, a discussion on Yogi Bhajan, sexual misconduct in the yoga world and how I feel about that (someone asked and so I answered!)

    - We review what Ayurveda is in very very brief (I do not do it justice!) in order to asse...

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