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 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
Class overview:
- What prana is and what pranayama means.
- The basic pranayama types and we experiment together:Nadi shodana
Ujjayi
Bhastrika and kaphalabhati
Bhramari
SitaliThe why and hows...
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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:...
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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
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
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...
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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...
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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...
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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
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...