Congratulations on taking the steps to explore a new relationship to your breath with your body and mind. Andrew and Shawn want to thank you all who completed the course either in person or in review. We trust what was taught and shared will go a long ways in setting foundations and support for your life with your breath.
Thank you very much for attending.
We want you to feel better and live healthier knowing and practicing these exercises. Sometime you may want individual guidance and a tailored program beyond the foundations that were in this course. Andrew and Shawn have different areas of expertise and 1 – on – 1 sessions can be very helpful as some in the course have already discovered. Here is a special offer for you.
Please fill these fields out with your interest or questions about your successful path:
This resource page contains all class and Q&A recordings with section chapters for your convenience (to see them open up video to full screen with the four arrow icon at the bottom right of the video).
In addition we have included some valuable images, articles and other resources/links for those who want to dive a bit deeper in your journey with these foundational practices. Please use the below form for your sharing your experiences, progress and testimonials for the course. We want to hold once a month over the next 3 months live Q&A’s – and we need your questions to trigger this to happen. If there are only a few questions for that month we will roll those questions toward hopefully the next month Q&A. No question is a bad question, so please use it so everyone can benefit from your questions. Thank you.
Recommendations for a successful journey with your breath and the course:
- Give yourself the gift of this course. Set aside time, optimally, uninterrupted time to be live with us or watch the replay. Your attention to this course and it’s material is only as valuable as you give to it.
- Set up a rhythm in the day. For example, we suggested doing the BOLT score same time every, or sequence, upon rising out of bed. Before you look at a screen.
- Practice, for practice, with the intention of long view, and watching the trap of striving for the immediate results, and working hard to get the results you want.
- Also feeling is a much better tool than trying to “watch” the breath with a sharp narrow focused “eye.” Feelings are more linked to deeper fields of awareness and opportunities. We know everyone has gifts and challenges with the breath, and the key is to let go of expectations, and be in a state of inquiry – “oh….How is my breath moving today?” or “Where do I feel my breath now?
This course has been completed and the resources below will be here for you.
Session #1: 11/15/21
Suggestion for video: if you enlarge you will see chapters that you can easily access specific parts of the session.
We apologize for the standing section being a little less quality. (Growing pains…….)
* Your Barometer – the BOLT score
* The Gift of Feeling your Breath & Body
* Standing to find ground – the support of the power in your legs & feet
* The power of small breath holds
* Breathing Low
* Breathe through your Nose
* The Tongue’s position
cleanse the blood
support the nervous system.
Supporting Materials – videos, audios, images, and links
Directly related to material in class:
The How to’s for the BOLT Score (video)
Feeling the Breath (Ridges & Valleys) (article & video)
Feeling is an essential piece to optimizing the breath. As you can see in this diagram (modified from the Oxygen Advantage image) feelings are directly related to the breath….and your sleep.
Supportive Materials you might find helpful based on some of the concepts we shared in this session.
The Feet’s role in health (4POINTS) (video)
A Discussion on the Feet (video)
The Feet & The Spine (video)
Standing in the Bones (video)
A Standing practice with the Feet and Bones (audio)
Standing Morning Practice w/ small breath-holds (audio)
The concept of exertion (video)
The Tongue and it’s Importance (video)
Quick Reference for Week 1 “Explorplay-ations“:
- BOLT Score daily; preferably same time.
- Small Breath-holds (5 seconds stationary) daily: Warm up exercise we did, sitting or standing; 3-5mins/5 times per day. Remember if you BOLT score is below 10, it is best to lessen any stress on your body by holding for 3-4 seconds.
- Take breaks 3-4times in the day to notice your breathing pattern: nasal, low ribs, cool/warm, tongue, holding/posture that don’t serve the breath.
- While standing take notice during parts of your day how you are in your feet and legs. Does this seem to affect your breathing?
- Journal your observations, insights and questions.
Session #2: 11/22/21
* Feeling the Diaphragm w/a Breath-hold
* Breathe Soft/Breathe Light
* Why Breathe Soft/Light
* What is Carbon Dioxide sensitivity
* Andrew’s guidance – feeling what your body is saying; mind is interpreting
* Unblocking the Nose
* Introduction to importance of Sleep
* Why are we practicing?
Daily Practice suggestions:
First thing before world wakes up and takes you away:
1. BOLT score 1st thing upon rising.
2. Self-care – face; teeth; nose (see below Nasya practice).
3. Standing grounding 3mins w/Small breath-holds 3-5secs. Can add the false inhale diaphragm release after 2 mins.Feel the grounds support inside and out.
4. Breathe Soft -> Light 3-5mins as a meditative practice; sitting or standing.
Through the day 3-5 times everyday as a pause in your daily life:
1. Small breath-holds (warm-up) 3-5mins w/ or w/o false inhale after 2mins of warm-up.
2. Breathe Light 3mins feeling and relaxing into the slight discomfort of breathlessness. Please stop if any anxiety or panic or undo stress rises you can’t relax from.
Supporting Materials – videos, audios, images, and links
all accomplished with Nasal Breathing
of the Body’s Intelligence – utilize as a
Session #3: 12/6/21
* Why are we practicing? Takeaway from a participant. Well worth the listen – big gem!
* Sleep – Important explanations on Sleep; and ways to improve your Sleep
* Practice
* Introducing moderate Stressors as 2nd pillar of the Oxygen Advantage exercises
Types of Mouth Tape
(high stress or anxiousness we recommend only 5 pace holds)
Must do warm-up and a few minutes of Breathe Light before doing this one..
ONLY 5 REPS/ no more than 2x/day; your heart rate should recover fully after.
ALWAYS stop exercise if it pushes the anxiety/panic/trauma/too-much stress button
Session #4: 12/13/21
* Practice, Practice, Practice – for the breath to work for you, work with it.
* Dynamic Balance in Wellness – how the breath animates the pillars of wellness
* The Phenomena of Movement & Breath – a rhythmic movement practice to feel how movement & breath intertwined;
* Noticing what the exhale provides you – the natural pause/space at the end of exhale is a profound access to your health.
Feel free to download these postcard reminders of a fruitful sequence to build up to your 45-60minutes of practice thru your day.
Session #5: 1/10/22
Nervous System & the Breath
Rhythm Breathing – Cadence Guidance
Watch for this trap in Cadence Breathing
The Tongue
A key at the End of Exhale
Sleep recommendations:
Dance to 3 songs that give you rhythm; sway, waltz, turns
If you have trouble getting to sleep – Breathe Light up to 10minutes.
If you wake up (2, 3, 4am…) – Breathe Low and Slow to sleep.
Session #6: 1/17/22
Takeaways:
Breathe Light
Sleep
Consistency & Daily Patterns
What happens from here
Q&A sessions
Other Resources
Stephen Elliott’s: Coherence Breathing
Patrick McKeown’s conversation with the author of Breathe – James Nestor
Patrick McKeown’s talk about concentration
Patrick McKeown’s London Real
Other Videos from the Oxygen Advantage – Short Instructional Videos
Additional Anatomy and Physiology resources (for those who want the deep dive into breathing function)
In this dissection video my friend Gil Hedley, Anatomist extraordinaire, discussion on the respiratory muscles of the rib cage.
Dr. John B West’s brilliant anatomy lectures:
Structure & Function of the Lungs
Dr. John B. West’s brilliant physiology lectures:
Blood Gas Transport
Respiration Under Stress
Exercise, High Altitude, Diving, Space Flight
Respiration on Mt. Everest/The Human Limit
Dr. West’s love for Mt. Everest and human limits