ABOUT BREATHING…
“The mechanistic approach of modern science and the abstract and jargon-laden nature of spiritual and psychological explorations have obscured the mysteries and power of the breath. Why and how we breathe needs to be clarified for a simpler, common sense understanding.
Breathing involves the physical and mechanical acts of muscles, chemicals, and neural activity that draws air into your body through expansion, contraction and pulsation. Structural, postural, muscular, energetic and hormonal aspects of your body support or inhibit this process.
Breath is the air or life force that is taken in. The influence your life force has on your breathing can alter, to a great degree, all aspects of your thought, experience and expression of life. As you grow from infancy to adulthood, your breath ebbs and flows and your body becomes an outward expression of your breathing freedom or restriction.”
- Michael Grant White (excerpt from “Building Healthy Lungs Naturally”)
What is the Optimal Breathing System™?
• It is a holistic, complementary health care approach designed to:1. Examine present and potential breathing problems.
2. Demonstrate how making improvements in your breathing mechanics (both rapidly and safely), diet, toxicity levels, attitude and environment can effect enormous changes in your life.
What is Unbalanced, or Undetected Dysfunctional Breathing (UDB)?
Pay attention to your breathing… Do you breathe mainly into your upper chest, instead of your lower abdomen? Is it shallow? Heavy or labored? Does your breathing feel like a series of events, instead of one smooth, coordinated and continuous flow? Do you ever find yourself holding your breath? Do you sigh or yawn often? Have frequent headaches or migraines? Have high blood pressure? Poor digestion? Are you prone to panic attacks? Depression? Are you frequently under stress?…These are merely a small sample of conditions that may indicate Unbalanced/Undetected Dysfunctional Breathing.
From over 30 years of research, Optimal Breathing’s founder, Mike White, is certain that unbalanced, dysfunctional breathing is both a cause and contributor to most disease. There are a number of major obstructions to optimal breathing. Including, but not limited to:
1. Physical/mechanical constriction and poor internal breathing coordination, including chronic tensions throughout any portion of the legs, pelvis, abdomen, chest, shoulders, throat and head.
2. Congenital deformity
3. Insufficient breathing volume/decreased lung capacity
4. Insufficient blood oxygen/carbon dioxide balance
5. Poor posture and ergonomics
6. Inactivity/lack of physical movement
7. Environmental and food-based toxins/allergens
8. Insufficient water intake
9. Poor attitude and/or sense of self
10. Trauma – past, present and the perception of
11. Unresolved emotions – conscious or otherwise
12. Stress
13. Prescription drug side effects
14. The lack of a program to develop optimal breathing… (Until now!)
The body’s optimal, natural state should be one that consists of:• balanced, deep, smooth, effortless breathing
• waking up clear headed and feeling refreshed
• steady energy throughout the day
• quick recovery from physical exertion or stress
• strong vocal expression
• a good mood and positive ‘can-do’ attitude
• a clear, calm mind and good memory
• a strong sense of self, centered in the ‘now’
- All of these are dependent on the way we breathe – and are all goals that can be achieved by learning the skills of proper, natural breathing!
Why is this system important and what are the benefits?
("How can I remedy my UDB!?")
“Breathing is the FIRST place not the LAST place one should investigate when any disordered energy presents itself.”
- Sheldon Saul Hendler, MD, Ph.D., author of The Oxygen Breakthrough
Breathing, the breath, affects virtually every aspect of our existence – from our physical and mental health, to our emotional and spiritual well-being, including: oxygen levels, heart health, nervous system function, digestion, quality of sleep, release of internal toxins…attention span/ability to focus, productivity, memory and decision-making skills…ability to handle stress, the processing of feelings and emotions – on a conscious level or otherwise, attitude and inner strength… sense of one’s authentic self, inner peace and stillness, spiritual growth, openness to the universal state of flow…and the list goes on.What are the benefits of the Optimal Breathing System®? As demonstrated in the list above, every part of life can be improved by learning better breathing skills. Every body system – immune, respiratory, circulatory, nervous, digestive, urinary, reproductive, lymphatic, muscular and structural – can be affected, as can one’s athletic performance, physical appearance, sexual performance and even interpersonal relationships. (-For more details, read the “Secrets of Optimal Natural Breathing” manual.)
Anyone can begin rebuilding and rebalancing their health and well-being through making the following core, foundational improvements:
• develop the body’s natural breathing reflex, posture and kinesthetic breathing awareness (i.e. sensing the movement and position of the breath)
• measurably increase chest expansion and lung volume/breathing capacity
• strengthen the diaphragm and, more importantly, increase its size and level of excursion (rise)Why are the breathing mechanics so important to develop?
The average person reaches peak respiratory function and lung capacity in their mid 20s. Then they gradually begin to lose that maximum respiratory capacity: from 10% to 27% for every decade of life thereafter. So, unless one is actively doing something to maintain or improve their breathing capacity, it will decline, and with it their general health.
The key to optimal, natural breathing development is the diaphragm. Achieving belly/chest hemispheric balance is crucial, with a dominant belly breath (front, sides and back belly) allowing for the maximum diaphragmatic excursion/rise up into the chest cavity. Making the diaphragm larger and stronger (allowing for higher rise), along with working to expand the rib cage in all directions is going to enable more air to be drawn into the lungs. This in turn more fully oxygenates every cell, helps expel greater amounts of waste and toxins, and helps to bring the body’s autonomic nervous system back into balance. The benefits gracefully continue to spiral outward from there...
Improved breathing also shows immediate improvement in the following areas:• Overall health and well-being
• Stress and tension; coping and relaxation
• Acute and chronic pain management
• Emotional disturbances and behavioral problems
• Substance abuse and recovery
• Creative and athletic performance
• Meditation and martial arts
• Intuitive skills and development
• Group dynamics and interpersonal relations
• Spiritual growth
• Life extension and longevity(- Michael White, “Secrets of Optimal Natural Breathing”)
These goals are all possible via the gentle techniques done in Optimal Breathing session work with Michael White and/or a certified practitioner. Supplement those personalized, one-on-one sessions with the rapid breathing development/breathing reflex triggering exercises found in the DVD/video and written materials and better health is sure to be on the way!
What are the components of the Optimal Breathing System®?
Of primary and most vital importance is the one-on-one breathing development session work with Michael Grant White and/or one of his certified practitioners or teachers. It is very beneficial to have someone trained and experienced in the Optimal Breathing techniques assist one in developing proper breathing skills. Having a ‘breathing coach’ as a guide helps with feedback, motivation and positive self-empowerment. In addition, as Mike White says, this interaction creates “opportunities for somatic awareness in an individual’s healing process.”Session work includes a preliminary assessment, with simple tests and skill measurements as well as reflective questionnaires. These serve to better personalize the program for each client based upon their individual needs and concerns, medical or otherwise. Then, the practitioner performs specific sets of non-invasive physical exercises on the client, such as strapping techniques and Optimal Breath Releases. They may also discuss ergonomics and posture and instruct in additional techniques that can be practiced at home, such as breathing reflex development and improved speech/voice production.
The other components of the system include:
• the “Secrets of Optimal Natural Breathing” manual
• The Fundamentals of Optimal Breathing Development DVD #176
• “Building Healthy Lungs Naturally” booklet/PDF download
• “The Way You Breathe Can Make You Sick or Make You Well” booklet/PDF download
• “Sleeping & Snoring and the Stress Level Elimination Energy Plan (S.L.E.E.P.)” booklet/PDF download
• The Optimal Breathing School
• The Optimal Breathing Development system is also augmented by various audio cds/cassettes• The Optimal Breathing Store
• The Breathing.com website - Find out more about the Optimal Breathing System®, take the free breathing test; read articles, research and testimonials, sign up for the free weekly newsletter, order products and sign up for a seminar or personalized session.
Quite often people need to address several factors at the same time, such as breathing patterns, environment, ergonomics, diet and physical exercise - a holistic approach. Others just need a gentle push in the right direction and a friendly reminder now and then. There have been a number of programs created with this in mind. Please consult the Optimal Breathing website and/or myself for more detailed information.
