What’s missing from Modern Yoga?
When I say ‘Modern Yoga’ I mean the general classes we attend, mine included, with a myriad of styles from Vinyasa flow to Yin to Bikram. I am curious to know whether these well known benefits listed below are possible if we spend very little time studying the breath and intentionally changing the way the diaphragm is moving, which is in fact the formula and purpose behind the ancient practice. There’s always plenty of poses and we come way feeling invigorated and alive, but does it last and is it as transformative as these promises suggest? Are the benefits listed below what you are seeking from your practice and are they really what you receive? For me personally I only came to experience them when I challenged the way I breathe, altered my day-to-day breath and took this learning into my daily activities from exercise, to work and studies, to sleep.
No matter how many times you are purposefully inhaling and exhaling, flowing through a Vinyasa, striking a pose, boosting your cardio, sitting in meditation or resting in a pose - the way YOU habitually breath is how you will breath in those too. What I mean by this is the way your diaphragm moves ~ whether it only moves at the front or the back due to your posture being out of alignment, whether it’s staggered due to tension or emotions, or if it has restricted movement due to anxiety, asthma or trauma. The fluidity of the diaphragm’s flow directly impacts how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally, in fact it governs whether these benefits are acquired. I assure you ‘feeling good’ after a class is vastly different to embodying the profound list below.
Often as teachers of this Modern Yoga we misinterpret our students needs, I know I do, assuming their need to move as soon as we are on the mat, to explore this so-called ‘Yoga’. When we ask our students to sit or lay still for part of this precious time they have set aside in their busy lives and ‘just breathe’ you can quickly see the frustrations of the students desire to move and continue to ‘be busy’ on the mat or leave and get on with their day. It is so important to provide as a part of a practice a reset and acknowledgement in the rhythm of the diaphragm (yup that part where I ask you to “breathe out through pursed lips” x 3-5 times before attempting any form of movement of breathing technique) otherwise there is no assurance any of these benefits will be integrated. Even so I still never feel enough time is spent studying the breath in my group classes! So next time your teacher requests you to stay still and explore your breath, receive it heartfelt with their wish for you to experience the most out of your practice, and provide you with something that lasts, provide you with the most important life-hack I know of!
So how do we up the ante?
Take time to practice Pranayama (breath work), find a technique specific to your needs and repeat this practice until your nervous system feels the shift and your diaphragm re-boots is rhythm. Until this learning is embedded in your cells and your day-to-day breathing is efficient…… until your breath is your constant, it’s your go-to in managing stress, anger, grief, disharmony, discomfort, a lack of energy or overstimulation. It doesn’t have to be in a class, perhaps it’s upon waking whilst laying in bed, taking a moment at the desk, on the mat before you start a class, or before you go to sleep ~ make it something you do every day for even just 5-10 minutes and you will truly come to KNOW these benefits.
To experience relief from stress, improved digestive function and spinal health, a stronger core, reduced tension in shoulders, neck, jaw and lumbar, a positive mindset AND TO MAKE IT LAST… takes time spent with the breath, not in the shape of the pose. In fact most poses restrict the breath and diaphragmatic movement so if it’s not setup with good rhythm beforehand the powerful benefit of resilience to stress may not be received from your spinal twist, instead it just made you breathless.
For those of you who attend a class where your teacher insists you spend time with the breath - you’ve found the gold! I’d love to hear from you - the benefits above are they what you’ve found from your Yoga and what was it for you that provided you with this transformation - what is it you seek and receive from your Yoga?
Did you see this article in the Sydney Morning Herald with Mick Fanning how he used breath work to manage his Scoliosis and regards it as the key to his successful surfing career? I have seen it with my students, my own body included, I have proof with before + after photos, how severe Scoliosis can have a marked difference with only 30mins of breath work practice! How it can ease neck and shoulder pain. How my beautiful students faces flaunt their inner peace, yet earlier they’d walked in with sheer distress.
My wish is for you to discover the importance of knowing your own breath and experiencing the lasting benefits. It’s honestly the real game-changer.
Namaste, xx
Nic Whiteman
Free Morning Meditations in May
I am super excited to be sharing my secret morning spot on Saturdays at 7.30am during May - a half hour breath work and meditation practice exploring your breath.
Morning Meditations in May
In your online studio Monthly Membership these practices are a great place to begin;
Viloma Beginners - Lung Expansion Breathwork 17mins ~ for developing breath retention, stress management, fantastic for lung conditions and asthmatics, learn which version fits with your needs, then go to Uplifting Breath - Viloma I or Calming Breath - Viloma II
Nadi Shodhana - Silken Threads Breath 12mins ~ alternate nostril breathing for a calm and focussed mind, internalising, fantastic for anxiety.
Purna Breathwork (Lung Toning) 12mins ~ using the magic of mudras for directing the breath into areas of the lung, reprogramming the diaphragm’s rhythm, providing the nervous system with a reboot, great for immune building and vitality.
Give the Breathe in 21 Day Challenge a whirl - just 10mins a day exploring all the ways to improve your breathing and find a technique that suits your needs.
