Yoga Journal Conference, Day 2: Session 3: Breathing: Physiology and Practice with Roger Cole

Roger Cole


Breathing: Physiology and Practice Roger Cole - Course ID: M3COLE 
Mixed Levels
Saturday, January 30 — 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Main Conference - Session 3
Learn the basics of breathing science, from the molecular level to its effects on consciousness. We'll explore and practice breathing mechanics and physiology that apply directly to both pranayama and everyday life.  Lecture and breathing practice.

Roger's workshop was mostly a power point presentation with some breath-work.

Awesomely geeky, and very male.  Roger had a great style of repeating back questions to make sure he heard them correctly.  His pace was focused, fast and sharp.  This course validated what we have been teaching at Lulu's about the breath and the nervous system, giving a few more anatomical details and ways of expressing the miracle of respiration.

Diffusion

a natural property of nature

when there is an imbalance, nature finds a balance

this is the basis of respiration

Slide 1:

A slide with two blobs and lots of dots.

CO2

biproduct of effort

"Respiration is the basis of life."

One definition of respiration is the "exchange of gases and the resultant burning of energy"

Pranayama

Regulation of a sense of vitality (not breath), but the techniques use breath.

We are trying to improve our subjective experience.

And there is a continual evolution of breathing.

Roger put forth the idea that we are still breathing the same breath that we first breathed.

This was a BIG idea and not an easy one to wrap around.

I allowed it to wash through and over.

"The Robust Biological systems that maintain our breathing"

There is an inherent Wisdom built in from the beginning.

"the natural breath is the most powerful pranayama"

Trust in the Breath

Start from where you are

Mechanics of Breathing

Roger showed a slide detailing the Lung Anatomy.

From the Trachea to the Bronchi to the Avioli.

- 3 Lobes in Right

- 2 Lobed in Left

Avioli are like small little grapes with the thinnest skin where the gas exchange happens.

Blood stream cannot carry enough oxygen on its own, so hemoglobin evolved to grab extra.

Stale Air

we never breath out all the air

stays like "dead space in the tubes"

this has an impact on the next breath

best posture to remove stale air is Savasana

more than aerobic activity

Mechanism of Ashtma

bronchials have muscles around them

in exercise induced asthma, the bronchi swell up and constrict

hard to breath in and out

opening the bronchi is the solution

restricting exhalation to increase pressure to back up in lungs is one method

(the breathing through a straw or into a paper bag)

Inversions

There was a question about inversions helping to release stale air

Yes, the diaphragm is pushing more on the lungs and the weigh of the internal organs are resting on it, BUT the ribs swing up and out, the lateral dimension is increased so don't get full exhalation.

"Observe and See what Happens"

Control of Respiration

level of CO2 in bloodstream determines our breath.

medulla oblongata is home of main respiration centers

Dorsal respiratory group 

blood flows through the medulla to regulate the need to breath

urge to breathe cased by high CO2 Levels

low oxygen might stimulate breath, but only in an emergency

we sit @ 99% oxygen saturation all the time

low oxygen is abnormal

we don't need to do dramatic breathing to get big effects

"subtly nudge towards calm or activation"

Practice: Bhastrika

short blasts to create the space

afterwards, quiet, no need to breath

To reduce CO2 level, more CO2 out than is being produced.

When we hyperventilate, the CO2 is down

The light headiness is caused by the constriction o the blood vessels to the brain to prevent flow of blood?

Changing the CO2 changes the acidity, changes the nerves?

What is better? short bursts or long slow exhalation?

When CO2 level is down, there is less need to breath

When cells burn Oxygen to create energy, you produce CO2

Physiology of Relaxation

- every time we exhale, our heartbeat slows down (tilted towards the Parasympathetic)

- mental focus also calms the system

How to Create a State of Calm

Breathing with just the belly.  Isolated belly breath breaks link between chest breathing and stress

Muscles

External intercostals lift the rips

Scalenes pull of 1st and 2nd Ribs

Diaphragm lifts ribs too

use fingers lightly touching to feel expansion of ribs

Isolated Chest Breathing makes us anxious because we recruit muscles associated with the fight or flight response.

Jalandhara Bandha takes scalenes out of picture.

Vagus Nerve

Herring Brower Reflex?

He suggested that it is not really clear if stimulating the PS calms everything down.

Practice

belly breathing

side ribs and belly breathing

belly, side ribs and upper ribs breathing

the main practice is to start to breath up in the area that stimulates the stress and stay relaxed.

Doug Keller at the Hub

Alana, Patricia and I went down to a new studio in LA called the HUB to see Doug Keller.

I came across Doug Keller's writings while doing bandha research and liked his ideas.  So tonight we went to meet him.  He is totally dear and present.  He is scheduled to be at Lulu's in the fall.

In general, men seem teach so differently than women.  With men, there is a very strong, "We are going to do this.  We are doing it.  There, we did it." 

Doug is awesome.  Yet the pace and the amount he talked could have been cut in half for me.  Just as I was getting baked in, the exercise would be done.  I am slow country paced gal.  And I like very little instruction and lots of space to absorb.

His opening talk was great.  Mainly about cultivating the prana in the body.  I would have like to have listened to him talk more.  I took no notes.  But I will be researching "soma".  

The Asana Practice focused mainly on opening the pelvis.  So Hips and Hamstrings.

He began with a little lungey anusara kind of warm up.

Then he talked about the shoulders helped us get thinking about them.

In the Lungey salutes, worked in some Warrior 1 play.

Eventually had us turn sideways on our mats and worked towards open hip standing poses.

In Warrior 2 he had us lifting up the front heal to help open the hip.  This was Awesome.

We explored tricks to help open the shoulder in side angle pose and played allot with opening the back of the pelvis in triangle and half moon.

We played with understanding the "half mooon" muscle of the butt.

We played with partners pressing in extended ankle in half moon.

He knows so much, that i imagine it is difficult to distill into ta tiny little workshop.  And it seems that he could be so much more effective if he shared even less.

We did some cool stuff with Utthita Hasta Pandguthasana Supine.  Playing with the strap and working the front hip forward and across.

We played with partners holding a strap around the extended leg in this positioning.

We played with partners helping to cultivate the inner line of the leg in seated spinal twist (M3).  

We played with partners with UHP supine to get inner line of leg.

We played with a Strap with Supine Upward Facing Upavista Konasana and Seated UK.

We played with Baddha Konasana with Partners

Some Spinal Twisting

Eagle Wrap this way and that

Savasana

BREAK

Pranayama Practice

Again, he knows so much.  I was feeling too broke to buy his workbooks.  Also, there is so much sitting next to my bed that I have not yet read.

We began with a "Wave Breath Exercise"

I totally dug this.

We layed over some heart opening support.

We treated the breath like waves inhaling a little more at the time (allowing for little exhales) until breath was full and then a smooth full exhale.

Then the reverse.

At point he said "like every cell is breathing" and it really did feel like my whole body was breathing.

Then we sat up and did a Lotus Visualization Breathing.  At one point he said something like "as if the earth was inhaling for you".  I loved this.  Again, i got deep so quick that as he continued to speak i could not understand why.

He talked about the different doshas and what they are drawn too.  Kapha: courage and love.  Pitta: joy and wonderment.  Vata: peace and something like stability.  He talked about finding the breath in the shushumna.  He had a lot to say.

The we did a Bhastrika which was super amazing.  And as he led us through a chakra meditation , i tuned him out cuz what i was experiencing was groovy enough.

Then savasana.

The space was very urban. we are so lucky.  that was our mantra all the way home.  "we are so lucky.  we are so lucky.  we are so lucky"

SWG, Saturday 10:45am

9 Peeps

2 New

Opening

Supine over bolster with Breath Awareness

Transition to Seat

Easy Send Bend Both Sides x 2

Transition to Standing

Uttanasana Play

Roll up to Standing

Shoulder Shrugs

Wall Work

Sequence 1

Splat

Right Angle 

Uttanasana

Roll up to Standing

Around the Clock Shoulder Stretch

Repeat Sequence 1

Ujayyi Pranayama

Repeat Sequence 1 with Breath Awareness

Wall Dog x 2 with Childs In Between

Squat

Uttanasana

Roll up

Shoulder Rotation Awareness

Sirsasana Arm Prep

Inverted Sirsasana

Sirsasana Prep with 3 Blocks at Wall

Childs Pose

Vajrasana (with 2 blocks under booty) Meditation

Pranayama Exercise from Tailbone to Ajna Chakra Root

Bridge Pose Prep 1 and 2

Bridge Pose

Eye of the Needle Play

Easy Spinal Twist

Savasana

1:1 Monday

Again, I had the opportunity to understand the power of breathing.

My client is a smoker and has been for 50 some years.  Her experience of the breath is phenomenal.  Her beautiful blue eyes glow  She feels spacious and open and tall and wondrous.  

We start with an easy heart opener over the bolster and direct awareness of the breath to different spots.

Then we roll up to sitting and move through various side bending to open the rib cage and increase breathing room.  Today was:

Sukhasana with Side bending

Wide Janu Sirsasana Pelvis Understanding, forward folding and breath in back of body

Twisting head to knee pose Stage 1 and 2

Sitting with Breath Deepening and Lengthening

Breath of Fire Play

Breath Deepening and Spontaneous Awareness

We spent about 45 minutes or more on this.

She totally gets the profound connection of breath and spirit.

Then we moved a little

All Fours

Cat/Cow

Childs

Plank

Dog

Plank

Sphinx

Dog

Lunge on each side

Uttanasana

Roll up to Standing

Tadasana

Ujayyi Breathing

YAM

2 Rounds of Easy Lunge Salutes (no dog)

Foot Opening with Block and At Wall

Balance Play

Forward Walk and Side to Side

Little Tree

Transition Back to Floor

Bridge Pose x 2

Savasana

her whole body was vibrating, so there was no rest.

She is very flexible and sitting is no big deal.

Patricia Sullivan Day 2: Pranayama Practice

We began with Pranayama at 7am.
This was out of my routine and so I was not really present.
Most mornings at 7am, I am waking up and making coffee and on the computer.

First we created some breathing room and space.
Then she had calm our minds with palms on forehead and over the eyes.
Then we did brahmari. We set up with a blanket under our spines and our heads falling just off the blanket to create an opening in the throat.
Incredibly cool and absorbing. We plugged our ears and made a buzzing sound. It was wild how loud it was inside, but it was also cool to hear the other bees in the room.

Then we made a little more space.
Kept the blanket under our spines and put a bolster under our heads to create a little throat lock.
I have no idea what the next technique was. I went away immediately. Deep inner journey. Could not focus on her suggestions or even pretend to care.

Maybe Alana will blog about it cuz she was in heaven.

Sweet Vinyasa 8:30am Monday

18 Peeps

Mostly Regular

I arrived thinking that we would do "something different" but I am still in the same theme.  Eric came today and gave me a hard time for not having a peek pose.  A destination pose gives reason for a class.  And my focus/theme is still on the spine and honing in on feeling at the root of the ajna chakra.  My talking points were rated as a bit jumbled.

Sit

Cross Legged Forward Fold

Side Bend

(Switch Legs and Repeat)

Slumpy Dandasana

Chest Press Dandasana

Transition onto All Fours

Plank

Dog

Uttanasana

Tadasana

Shoulder Shrugs

Ujjayi Pranayama

3 Rounds of OM

Lunge Salute Pattern with Shoulder Opening 

Tadasana

Palm Awareness

Standing Pose Sequence 1

Sun to Lunge

Side Angle Pose

Triangle

Open Triangle

Wrapped Triangle

Wrapped or Bound Side Angle Pose

Deep Low Hip Opener

Twisting Lunge

Vinyasa 1

Dog

Rounded Plank

Dog

Roll to Up Dog

Roll back Dog

Step Forward Opposite Foot

Repeat Sequence on Other Side

Step Forward Uttanasana

Complete Sun to Tadasana

Standing Pose Sequence 2

Sun to 

Lunge

Side Angle Blueprint

Triangle

Side Triangle

Open Triangle 

Wrapped Triangle

Ardha Chandrasana with Optional Foot Grab

(I offered this feeling that we we go towards Bow Pose, but only a few peeps took it)

Standing Splits

Pigeon

Vinyasa 2

3 Legged Dog

Revolved Dog

Down Dog

Roll into UpDog

Roll Back into Down Dog

Step Forward Opposite foot

And Repeat Sequence on Other Side

Repeat Vinaysa 2

Rest Childs Pose

Seated Vajrasana Mediation

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose

Cow Face Pose

Upavishta Konasana or Baddha Konasana

Savasana

Sit

Yoga Basics, Wednesday 5:00pm

10 Peeps
2 New

Opening
Start Supine
Breath Awareness towards four parts of breath

Hamstring Stretch with Strap

Transition to Seated

Sukhasana Forward Fold
Switch Legs and Repeat

Squat
Standing Forward Fold

Roll up to Standing

Wall Work
Splat
Right Angle
Forward Fold
Repeat.
(Focus on breathing down the channels of the body. Front and Back. As well as playing with staying attentive to the 4 parts of the breath).

Wide Stance.
Leg Channels.
Wide Leg Forward Fold.

Warrior 2 Dance and Hold Both Sides
Wide Leg Forward Fold

Nadi/Feet Awareness/Nostril Exercise

Balance Play
Little Tree
Forward Fold
Big Tree
Forward Fold

Transition to Earth Through Squat

Seated Forward Fold with Strap and Blanket Play
Focus on breathing down the spine to increase awareness of the tiny core postural muscles.

Revolving Head to Knee Pose
Easy Seated Spinal Twist

Repeat Other Side

Transition onto Backs

Windshield Wiper
Bridge 2x

Knees to Chest
Happy Baby

Set up for Pranayama
x 0 x 0
x x/2 x 0
x x/2 x x/2
x x x x
x 0 x 0

Savasana

Sweet Vinyasa, Wednesday 8:30am

12 Peeps

Opening
Start Supine
Breath Awareness to 4 Parts of Breath
This became the focus for the entire practice.
Allowing ourselves to become fascinated with the breath and the shape to be secondary to that.

Knees to Chest
Roll up to Sukhasana Forward Fold
Switch Legs and Repeat Other Side

Squat
Wide Uttanasana

Roll up to Standing

Wall Work to Bring More Breath Awareness
Splat and Right Angle Pose 2x
(Emphasis on finding the front and back of body with breath as well as connecting with the 4 parts of breath)

Wide Leg Stance on Mat
Awaken Leg Channels
Wide Leg Forward Fold

Awaken Arm Channels
Chest Pounding
Arm Prana Extension Exercise
1/4 Suns

Sequence 1
Warrior 2 Dance
Twisting Lunge
Low Lunge

Vinyasa 1
Down Dog
Plank
Sphinx
Rocket Cat
Plank
Dog

Transition A
One Legged Dog
Lunge
Standing Splits
Standing Forward Fold
Roll up to standing
Tadasana

Repeat Sequence 1 on other side

Vinaysa 2
Dog
Plank
Locust with arms clasped behind
Rocket Cat
Plank
Dog

Repeat Transition A other side

Balance Play
Little Tree
Forward Fold
Tree
Forward Fold
Squat

Bakasana Play

Happy Baby
Supine Baddha Konasana Play
Roll up to sitting

Sukhasana Both Side

Seated Sequence
Seated Rock the Baby Hip Opener Play
1/2 Lotus Forward Fold
Half Bound Lotus Twist
Half Cow Face Forward Fold

Repeat Seated Sequence Other Side

Transition onto Backs

Butterfly Bridge
Familiar Bridge

Knees to Chest
Easy Spinal Twist

Set up for Pranayama
Focus on individual Breath Count and then slowly increase
x 0 x 0
x x/2 x 0
x x/2 x x/2
x x x x
x 0 x0 x

Slide into savasana

Quiet Sit

1:1 Monday, March 3

Regular Monday Client.

She announced hat she is down to 3 cigarettes a day. Amazing.
This client pulled out 3 big surprises this visit.
She has already taken to the yoga amazingly fast.
And her "progress" is so much fun to participate in.

Today she said that she has been "doing yoga without doing yoga". This is an advanced concept and eludes some of the most long time practitioners. So, wow. Then she popped herself into Lotus with ease and then she revealed that she had had a Kundalini awakening. She shared that there had been a sense of humility combined with immense suffering.

It is only in the last 2 months that I really had a sense of the possibility of reincarnation. But all of a sudden I feel like I am with an old yogini. The yoga is so available to her. It's barely covered. So most likely, she has been doing this for many lifetimes, it just got cloudy during this one.

Our Practice:

Supine
Breath Work.
Hip Rotation Awareness

Transition to Sitting
Sukhasana Forward Fold

This is where she revealed her Lotus Skills.
So we played a little bit with Lotus Opening on the back and sitting.

Transition to Standing

Wall Work to check in Breath
Splat
Right Angle
Uttanasana

Sun Salutations on Chair
Surya C Variation with Legs Lifts and Plank (no backbend)

Down Dog @ Wall
Down Dog into Center of the room
(This was wildly successful. I had been nervous about her wrists, but she did great)
We tasted stepping forward towards lunge, but her belly got in the way.

Triangle
Twisting Triangle
Twisting Triangle @ Wall (very successful)

Legs Wide up Wall
Baddha Konasana up Wall
(I pressed on her hips with my shins to create opening)

Transition onto Back

Bridge Pose with Strap x 2
Knees to Chest

Thai Yoga Massage

Pranayama.
Simply bringing attention to the breath and the parts of the breath.
Allowing them to lengthen.

Savasana

Quiet Sit.

Yoga Basics, Monday 5:00pm

7 Peeps
Mix of Regulars and Newish
I have been geeking out lately on breath and prana and the nadis so continued that.
This might have been one of the freshest classes I have ever taught.

I was a few minutes late to class. Door must have been open cuz everyone was lined up and in the studio.

Opening
Supine
Knees bent with feet wide and knees falling together.
Hands on belly, awareness to breath.
Hands to Rib, press breath into ribs.
Dial in ujayyi. Bring attention to parts of breath.

Knees to chest
Roll up to Sitting

Sukhasana Forward Fold
Switch Legs and Other Side

Squat
Uttanasana

Roll to Standing

Wall Work to Dial in Breath down the front and back of body.
Splat
Right Angle
Dangling Forward Fold
Roll up to Standing

Shoulder Stretch @ Wall
Splat
Right Angle
Danging Forward Fold

Roll up to Standing

Legs wide
Awaken Leg Channels
Wide Leg Forward Fold

Roll up to standing
Legs together

Wake up Arm Channels
Arm Prana Extension Exercise
1/4 Sun Salutations

Warrior 2 Dance
Wide Leg Forward Fold

Roll up to standing

Nadi Foot Nostril Breath Exercise
and Discussion of Parana, nadis, shushumna, ida, pingala
(We sat down for this which was new and cool)

Triangle both sides
Half Moon Both Sides
(with block and awarness on the prana and breath work to create the alignment)

Forward Fold
Squat

Transition onto backs

Bridge
Supported Bridge with block

Eye of Needle

Breath Extension work
Directed peeps towards breath and action of counting breath, evening out the length of the inhale an exhale. Then, notice the moments at top of inhale and bottom of exhale. Then, hold for half of breath count at top of inhale. So, if breath was 4 0 4 0, breath would go to 4 2 4 0.

Then, eventually, hold at bottom of exhale for same length (4 2 4 2). Then, if appropriate, find a breath pattern that is even for all spots (e.g. 4 4 4 4). Then, relax back to 4 0 4 0 and then relax all intention and slide into savasana.

Savasana

Quiet Sit

Practice Monday, March 3, 4:00pm

Usually between classes on Monday I take a nap.
But I have been exceptionally busy and allowed myself to keep working through the time I would have been able to pull of a nap. So I needed a restorative practice.

Lie Supine with Knees bent. Feet wide and knees falling together.
Hands on belly. Focus on bringing the breath down to my hands.

Transition hands to lower ribs/diaphragm region and focus on opening up into hands, aiming breath down.

Deepening of breath.
6 0 6 0
6 3 6 3
6 6 6 6
6 0 6 0

Relax and feel the effects.

Roll to sitting.
Easy Sukhasana

Roll onto back
Lotus Prep Work

Roll to sitting
Half Bound Lotus Twisting and Forward Fold
Janu Sirsasana Variation with Lotus
Schiffmann Half Box Twisting Play
(Switch Sides)

Lotus
Maha Bandha Work

Quiet Sit
20 minutes or so...

Transition to back
Easy Spinal Twisting
Savasana