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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by kiwiredbeach on November 20, 2006, at 3:32:32
I know some users have used breathing exercises for some benefit, nearly every pdoc ive used raves on about it. One said to me that if i ever wanted to be free of general anxiety disorder that i would have to master breathing exercises. However no one tells me how long I should do it for...5 mintues 10 or twenty ??? once a day twice a day ...gee I dont know ....How long do you have to do it for before I get an effect ???
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated
Posted by teejay on November 20, 2006, at 17:59:36
In reply to Breathing exercises---help, posted by kiwiredbeach on November 20, 2006, at 3:32:32
All I can really tell you with any certainty is DONT STOP BREATHING!
:-)
Sorry
TJ
Posted by tealady on November 20, 2006, at 18:20:52
In reply to Re: Breathing exercises---help, posted by teejay on November 20, 2006, at 17:59:36
> All I can really tell you with any certainty is DONT STOP BREATHING!
>
> :-)
>
> Sorry
>
> TJROFL, I guess ya have to breathe all day...that's kinda continuous exercise
actually I think the idea is the start off with 5 mins or so a few times a day and increase..and actually try to change your breathing style altogether..
maybe some of Dr Weils articles may help you?
http://tealady-health.blog.co.uk/?tag=breathing
Posted by sregan on November 21, 2006, at 15:51:06
In reply to Breathing exercises---help, posted by kiwiredbeach on November 20, 2006, at 3:32:32
The main idea behind breathing is to focus your mind. A runaway mind is probably THE cause of anxiety. The mind has become a beast that needs to be tamed.
Sit in a quiet place, close your eyes if you wish and focus attention on your breathing. As your mind wanders gently bring it back to your breathing.
If you want to get more sophistocated keep the length of the inbreath equal to the length of the outbreath (2 seconds in/2 seconds out).
Do you have the book "Dancing with Fear" by Foxman? It is very good.
Shawn
Posted by teejay on November 21, 2006, at 19:52:51
In reply to Re: Breathing exercises---help » kiwiredbeach, posted by sregan on November 21, 2006, at 15:51:06
Thats one very expensive book. Is it really that good?
TJ
Posted by sregan on November 21, 2006, at 21:13:27
In reply to Re: Breathing exercises---help, posted by teejay on November 21, 2006, at 19:52:51
> Thats one very expensive book. Is it really that good?
I believe it is. You can get a used copy for $10 or so:
Posted by teejay on November 21, 2006, at 21:50:57
In reply to Re: Breathing exercises---help, posted by sregan on November 21, 2006, at 21:13:27
Thanks. There seems to be an updated verion with a pic of someone on the beach with their arms in the air on the cover. I've added it to my wish list so with xmas around the corner, I might get lucky :-)
Thanks for your help.
Had a bottle of wine tonight and feel sooooo chilled and relaxed. Now if only I could feel like this without wine, life would be just fine.
TJ
Posted by kiwiredbeach on November 22, 2006, at 3:02:00
In reply to Re: Breathing exercises---help » kiwiredbeach, posted by sregan on November 21, 2006, at 15:51:06
Very interesting replyCan you tell me if your breathing exercises has helped your anxiety
> The main idea behind breathing is to focus your mind. A runaway mind is probably THE cause of anxiety. The mind has become a beast that needs to be tamed.
>
> Sit in a quiet place, close your eyes if you wish and focus attention on your breathing. As your mind wanders gently bring it back to your breathing.
>
> If you want to get more sophistocated keep the length of the inbreath equal to the length of the outbreath (2 seconds in/2 seconds out).
>
> Do you have the book "Dancing with Fear" by Foxman? It is very good.
>
> Shawn
Posted by sregan on November 22, 2006, at 9:23:27
In reply to Re: sregen, posted by kiwiredbeach on November 22, 2006, at 3:02:00
>
> Very interesting reply
>
> Can you tell me if your breathing exercises has helped your anxietyIt has but it doesn't work overnight. The mind ends up being like this supercomputer that is running on its own after a while. Subconscious fears and worries get interjected into your thought stream based on the "programming" of this computer. The programming is your pattern of reaction developed in your life up to this point.
Something (your mind) that you've spent a lifetime creating cannot be undone overnight. But through meditation (watching the breath, etc.) you create a little distance between your core identity (yourself prior to mind) and your mind. Over time the mind loses it's seat as king and ruler of "you" and the real you can emerge. For once the real you is living your life. You become truly conscious.
I've done a ton of reading on it but "haven't done the homework" as someone mentioned recently. With help of my psychologist and reading "Dancing with Anxiety". The book helped me realize that I am truly not living right now. I am projecting the future worries from the past experience.
A couple of quotes from the amazing Nisargadatta Maharaj:
"You begin by letting thoughts flow and watching them. The very observation slows down the mind till it stops altogether. Once the mind is quiet, keep it quiet. Don't get bored with peace, be in it, go deeper into it. (When asked how to meditate)"
"Watch your thoughts as you watch the street traffic. People come and go; you register without response."
"How does personality come into being? By memory. By identifying the present with the past and projecting it into the future. Think of yourself as momentary, without past and future and your personality dissolves."
More quotes from Nisargadatta:
http://www.nirvikalpa.com/bookquot.php4?&submit=Search&book=I+Am+That&startrec=0If you are interested in more please see my site:
http://www.nirvikalpa.comShawn
Posted by sregan on November 22, 2006, at 9:31:17
In reply to Re: Breathing exercises---help, posted by teejay on November 21, 2006, at 21:50:57
> Had a bottle of wine tonight and feel sooooo chilled and relaxed. Now if only I could feel like this without wine, life would be just fine.
When you find yourself feeling good take a moment, close your eyes and get deeply into the feeling. Run your attention throughout your body and enjoy the feeling. Besides showing appreciation for when you feel good you can create a "memory photo" that you can use later when you don't feel so well. When you aren't feeling well close your eyes and bring up that "memory photo" as vividly as you can. This trick has helped me quite a bit.
It also helps break momentum of the illness. After being sick for years we are much more used to being ill than well. Our natural state becomes illness. It's important to try to reverse that. Live it in your mind first and it can come to your reality.Shawn
Posted by teejay on November 22, 2006, at 9:44:47
In reply to Re: Breathing exercises---help » teejay, posted by sregan on November 22, 2006, at 9:31:17
Great advice, thanks I'll try that.
I agree wholeheartedly with your ideas about us getting used to feeling unwell. Even on a good day, I imagine what it was like to be well and it still seems so far away.
TJ
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