Breathing techniques - help please

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Many of you will know that I work with troubled adolescents in closed facilities. Because of this, sometimes my requests seem rather vague to preserve confidentiality. I apologize, and will be as descriptive as possible.

I am seeking specific breathing techniques for specific issues.

  1. Teens have participated in a “sweat” and were feeling quite “weird” and unsettled afterward. Since this was a spiritual experience for them, I thought perhaps Kapalabhati was appropriate. I also thought this would be helpful as during the sweat, herbs are tossed on hot stones and you breathe in the smoke. Its a very cleansing experience but the girls felt their lungs were “tight”. This seemed to help them. Is there a better technique I could have shown them?

  2. I am dealing with some severely ADHD kids who struggle to settle into sleep or any routine really. They are open to learning breathing techniques and I’d like to help them quiet their thoughts in preparation for rest. Any suggestions?

#2

Hi Alix,
It’s fantastic that you are introducing the teens to sweats. I have done many sweats, and still remember my first experience. I didn’t make it all the way through. I also felt ‘tightness’ in my chest and lungs. You may know this already, of course, but in the early experiences with sweats that tightness comes, not only from the intense heat and darkness, but anxiety as the ‘demons’ are released and confronted. A feeling of panic can ensue.

I found ujjayi breathing helpful in that it ‘softened’ the heat going into my lungs. It also keeps me calm (I have a lot of demons!).

As for ADHD, someone more knowledgeable can comment on getting them to rest. I imagine forward bends and shoulder stands would be helpful.

#3

Thanks FlexPenguin! I was dealing with the aftermath of the sweat and so I was trying to bring some lightness to them with the breath work. I will remember to advise them to use ujjayi when they are in there the next time. I didn’t think to tell them before this one. Good call.

#4

In a similar situation I would not use pranayama that limits the amount of oxygen, forces the breath at any point in the breathing cycle, requires rapid contraction and expansion of the lungs, and creates a depravation of oxygen as well as a potential attachment to the light-headed feeling that typically follows.
And I surely would not use such things with a group that could not sit with an aligned spine for the duration.

Instead I would focus on teaching basic breath work (Radiant Breath, Ujjayi, Viloma II).

Gordon

#5

Gordon, they are very capable of sitting with an aligned spine, and did so. They seemed to find some relief from the “weird” feeling they described.

To be clear, are you suggesting these techniques for during the sweat or after? During the sweat, they are often curled up in fetal position, and in VERY close quarters. The herbs used often cause one to feel like coughing (releasing inner demons etc) and breathing is uncomfortable at times.

You think Radiant Breath, Ujjayi, Viloma II would be more effective after? Both in terms of physical and spiritual wellbeing?

I think perhaps I was focussing more on the spiritual, and cleansing than I was on physical. I should perhaps address the physical first.

#6

Hi Alix! Please explain this technique as I’m not familiar with it.

If the technique is what I think, Nadi Shodhana (viloma) would be very calming.

Curious as to why Ujjayi as that generates more heat, and if they are already “sweating” I wouldn’t think they’d need more. Would Sheetali (cooling breath) be more appropriate? Just curious and would like it explained if someone could. Thanks!

#7

Hi Alix,

Then you likely have a very special group as most students do not sit with an aligned spine and those that do cannot maintain it more than briefly.

My reference for pranayama would be after as I highly doubt any pranayama is suitable for the environment your outlining.

For those feeling weird who WANT to do something calming AND use the breath to do so, yes the three gentle pranayamas mentioned would be most appropriate for me to use as a teacher with the population mentioned.

#8

It was a pretty brief session (10 minutes) so it was not difficult for them to remain aligned.

And thank you, I will use the techniques you suggest for the next time.

lotusgirl, a sweat is a Native custom in which participants go into a sweat lodge and breathe in the herbal smoke, and sweat out their demons and impurities. There is lots more to it than that, but thats the basic outline. They do several rounds and it can take a couple of hours to do it properly. I was dealing the girls in the aftermath, and for many hours afterward they felt “weird”. That was the best explanation I could get from them. They also used “heavy” as a descriptor.

Sorry to not be clearer!

#9

Thanks Alix! It’s what I thought it was.

#10

traditionally girls and women were not allowed in sweat lodges. But this is more for practical reasons than for religious reasons. Now, both sexes are invited. I’m always surprised at how quickly north american natives adopt and get behind a new initiative.

I had the priviledge of doing 2 sweat lodges under the guidance of the late great George Goodstriker, one of the great elders of the Canadians. In one of them, we were 22 confined in the small lodge, two concetric circles, each sweating into each other, for hours. George also had set up a community for troubled native youth (stab wound scars, bullet holes…all over their bodies) and we invited them to join us. Talk about confronting demons!

#11

FlexPenguin, wow! That sounds like an amazing experience. You are very lucky to have participated in that.

Thanks all for the help with the techniques for the teens after a sweat. Could anyone offer any suggestions for the ADHD teens?

#12

I posted a few times this video of Swami Ramdev about pranayama.
It says in which type of medical conditions you should not perform
some exercises.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-386913693756370208#

The video starts after about 30 seconds and lasts 1hr 06 min.

#13

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;38609]
And I surely would not use such things with a group that could not sit with an aligned spine for the duration.

Gordon[/QUOTE]

I think this is a very important point you made: the spine straight. This is valid in meditation too.

#14

as for sleeping, i have done this practice a few times and slept like a baby. hum the sound mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

this practice is discussed in detail in nithyanandas book, http://www.amazon.com/Guaranteed-Solutions-Jealousy-Attention-need-Discontent/dp/B000K66GXE/ref=sr_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285785506&sr=1-15
similar to hummming bee breath

also in this book
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Ayurvedic-Home-Remedies/dp/0609802860/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285785612&sr=1-1 they recommend the so-hum meditatin before going to bed
later man
Neil

#15

@Brother Neil

So Hum meditation is very good! I use it myself quite often. And your comment got me to thinking further about Alix’s question and concern about the ADHD kids. What about doing a Yoga Nidra with them? It is very calming and relaxing. Even my most anxious students have been able to enjoy relaxation much deeper when I talk them thru this. I also use Healing Triangles which is also very effective. If you know of these, maybe think about trying them. If not, let me know and I can explain them. Yoga Nidra is probably readily available through the internet, but I’m not sure about The Healing Triangles.

#16

Hey the technique being explain is quite helpful.But the person who have some bad conception having problem of making nostril noise did it helpful for those people also.