Breathing becomes very shallow for the person with asthma. Sometimes a wheezing or whistling sound can be heard. There might be insomnia.  Medicine is prescribed for this chronic respiratory disease. In addition to medicine complementary therapies can be helpful.

There are 2 common myths surrounding asthma.

Myth 1 – Asthmatics should not exercise.

Asthmatics too will benefit from exercise. With proper medication asthmatics can exercise normally.

Myth 2 – You’ll grow out of it.

This is apparently both true and false. Some children do “out-grow” the disease. Some adults who have asthma did not have it as a child.

As a complementary therapy, Yoga can assist breathing in several ways.

1.Yoga Postures

Positions that expand the chest creating more space for lung expansion include the Camel. If you have never done yoga, you can still practice an easy version of any pose. If you cannot sit on the floor, sit on the edge of a chair with your feet planted firmly on the ground or prop. Extend your arms behind you and hold the back of the chair. Inhale and lift your chest fully, expanding it. Then lean your head backward to a place that’s comfortable for your neck.

Stay for 6 easier breaths.

2. Mudra (Hand Position)

Interlace, no actually curl or curve all the fingers as though to make a fist with thumbs on the outside and turn the back of the left hand toward the chest. Clasp fingers together. This is called Bear Grip in Kundalini Yoga.  Pull the fingers apart with moderate pressure while exhaling and release the pressure slightly when inhaling. Take about 7 breaths. Then repeat this time with the back of the right hand toward the chest. (This is not to be used in asthma crisis.) Please not if you have High Blood Pressure begin this practice slowly.

3. Yoga Restorative techniques

To gently energize, practice restorative postures. These postures lengthen the muscles without much effort on your part. Your body is supported by bolsters and blankets. The mind becomes calmer as you notice the gentle movement of the breath. If you like, create a visualize that supports easy breathing.

4. Yoga Stress Reduction techniques

For emotional health, yoga offers regular relaxation, and a very deep relaxation technique called yoga nidra. Anger and fear and all the shades of these 2 emotions, make breathing shallow. Regular practice of relaxation techniques do even more than calm emotions. It can give us a new perspective so that issues that created stress are seen as challenges.

5. The Experience of Stillness

After a practice of yoga postures, relaxation, breathing techniques and meditation, there is a stillness within; a feeling like you have come home. You have become a friend to your body, emotions and soul.

Heather Greaves helps yoga beginners and enthusiasts learn more yoga even though their only teacher is a book. They say, To learn more about something, teach it. Since 2005 Heather has been training yoga teachers in a certified program. For more yoga tips and information visit Body Therapies Yoga Training http://www.yogatogo.com  <a href=http://www.yogatogo.com>

Yoga practitioners develop self observation skills even during the relaxation at the end of the yoga class. Relaxation exercises are a welcome end to a yoga class; and it is very common to hear a comment like, “Ah, this is the best part” when it is time for shavasana, the corpse pose. Most times we remain alert while relaxing, though hearing a snore, even our own, will definitely perk us up more.

Researchers, from Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA) and Bangalore Institute of Oncology (BIO), tested yoga relaxation techniques on those living with breast cancer in second and third stage and found that the exercises were not only successful in fighting the side effects of the ailment, but also helped maintain immunity levels to fight the disease.

Yoga techniques include poses, breathing, hand positions, meditation and relaxation. Singling out relaxation, there are at least ten yogic relaxation techniques to quiet the mind and relax muscle tension. Benefits from relaxing mind and body affect us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. They include:

• Reduced muscle tension
• Increased productivity
• Contributes to increased energy levels
• Increase ability to communicate with others
• Reduction in compulsive and impulsive behaviour
• Increased self acceptance and inner peace
• Reduction of stress related physical symptoms

Self-observation and self assessment can be an ongoing practice, on and off the mat. In a formal yoga on the mat practice, we can pay attention to many intricate details of our physical body. And on the other hand, we may find that simply being aware of whether we are maintaining length in the spine, might suffice for self assessment of the physical.

Moving with the breath, or maintaining awareness of the movement of breath while we hold a pose, develops self-observation. And on a more subtle level, awareness and self assessment of how grounded we are, or how much lightness we experience could keep us balanced energetically.

On deeper levels, as we remain steady in the pose, we might observe how much sadness our heart holds, and/or how much determination we feel. The longer we are able to hold the pose, we may observe ourselves enveloped with feelings of softness, surrender or courage.

The more we are able to connect with all levels of our being, the more we improve health and foster the sense of well being. Energy follows our attention.

How are you developing your self-observation skills as you relate to the world?

It’s the beginning of the school year and students of all ages will experience stress at one point. Good stress lights a fire and gets us moving. It becomes bad stress when the mind fixates on the situation.

When the mind is boss, it shows up in the body as headaches, digestive problems, poor sleep, lack of concentration, muscle tension, difficulty breathing, anxiety and many other symptoms. Interpersonal relationships suffer, and you become an unhappy camper.

Meditation offers great relief from these symptoms. A regular daily practice of 10-20 minutes can make a huge difference. There’s a smile in my heart when I see students interested in learning to meditate and taking the time to develop this life skill. I know first hand just how important it is to have the mind as a friend.

Here in Hamilton there are many types of meditation offered, for fee and for free. Here are two group classes:

1. Classes by Samara at the Regent Health and Chiropractic Clinic  (see http://tinyurl.com/ye2xb4w).

2. Classes at Blue Heron Zen Buddhist Centre (see  http://blueheronzencentre.blogspot.com/)

If your schedule is quite inflexible, private meditation classes are offered throughout our city as well. If you’d like to learn  meditation in a semi-private or private class, you may call  905-628-6463 or email us.

Heather Greaves

Yoga Teacher Trainer

1. Shallow Chest Breathing

Is your breathing shallow? To check, place one hand on the chest, and the other just above the navel. If the hand on the chest moves more, then shallow breathing is your normal breathing pattern.

Shallow breathing, also called paradoxical breathing, creates tension in the shoulders, neck and thoracic spine and increases heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension and metabolism.

Yoga Breathing Exercise: To correct chest breathing, practice the following exercise 10 – 20 minutes daily for several weeks until breathing from the diaphragm becomes natural and easy.
•    Lie on your back with you knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
•    Place a hard cover book or 10-15 lb sandbag on your abdomen around the area of the navel.
•    As you inhale through the nose, lift the book. As you exhale through the nose, the book lowers.

2.  Rough Breathing

Your breath is jerky. Sit comfortably with the spine lengthened. Notice your incoming and outgoing breath. Is it smooth?

Yoga Breathing Exercise: Place one hand about 4 inches away from your body. Move one finger from navel to chin as you inhale, then back down as you exhale. Practice with awareness of the breath.

3. Mouth Breathing

Mouth breathing exacerbates high blood pressure, asthma, heart disease, dry cough and many other medical problems.

Yoga Breathing Exercise: Sit comfortably for 3-5 minutes and practice breathing through the nose. You can also press one nostril closed with a finger or thumb and breathe slowly through the other nostril. Then change sides.

Yoga breathing exercises must be practiced without force.

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