Re: Breathwalk


"Evelyn" <evelyn.ruut@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1167482267.450088.135640@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


On Dec 30, 12:17 am, "George Cherry"
<GWCherryHatesGreenEggsAndS...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
A Simple Breath Walk

Breath walking synchronizes our steps, our breath, and our attention
while
we're walking or taking a stroll. To help aim and sustain our attention
when
we're breath walking, we mentally recite a mantra. We'll start with the
simplest mantra:

IN, 2, 3, 4; OUT, 2, 3, 4

In the simplest breath walk, we inhale for four steps and exhale for four
steps, in synchronism with our mantra. Here's the pattern of the simplest
breath walk:

Mantra: IN 2 3 4 | OUT 2 3 4

Steps: right left right left | right left right left

Breaths: inhale <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<| exhale >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

We repeat this pattern for the duration of our walk. Note that:
inhalations
begin with a right step and end with a left step; exhalations begin with
a
right step and end with a left step. This very regular pattern makes it
easier to synchronize our steps and our breaths with our mantra. Think of
reciting the mantra as conducting the music of our movement, with our
breathing and our stepping as our two main musicians.

Try to take deep, full breaths. To breathe fully and deeply, you must
work
the *** of muscle (your "diaphragm") which separates your chest cavity
from your abdomen. When your diaphragm drops, your chest cavity enlarges
and
your lungs fill with air. The downward movement of your diaphragm
automatically pushes out your abdomen and rounds your belly. This means
that
in order to take a deep and full breath, you may have to loosen your
belt!
When your diaphragm rises, your chest cavity reduces in volume and air is
squeezed out of your lungs. Think of your diaphragm as a bellows, rising
and
falling, rising and falling. You can walk fast or slow. (We'll talk more
about proper breathing later. If you find anything about the above
confusing, just breathe naturally during your first breath walks.) For an
aerobic effect, walk fast and swing your arms in high arcs. The faster
you
pump your arms, the greater your aerobic benefit.

Dr. Candace Royer, Director of Physical Education at MIT has this to
say
about Breath Walking, "Breathwalk is a simple but elegant method for
altering moods and state of mind. I use it in my general walking class
at
MIT and have found students to be very receptive to the techniques.
Personally, I use the principles almost every time I walk anywhere, for
an
exercise or relaxation effect. Quite sincerely, it works!" -- George W.
Cherry


Thanks for posting that instruction, George. Sounds like a good
exercise to me.

It's something I wrote for the class I teach.
Try it; it's good for you. The best exercise
for older people is walking. I breathwalk
(or laughwalk) over an hour every day. Greta
breaks my stride when she brings me the
ball or stick--but she is the Poodle who must
be obeyed.

George


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