Science meets yoga tradition direct from India.

There is a lot of talk these days about the breath. Social media is flooded with breath hacks; box breathing, oxygen advantage, alternate nose breathing etc.

However, as we become more aware of the importance of the breath, the question remains, what exactly is the best technique to relax the body and mind? What the Yogis have known for thousands of years is that better breathing is a result of the EXHALE, or rather, we begin here to cultivate a fuller deeper inhale. Yoga also leads us towards breathing through the nose as well as utilising the diaphragm to improve the health of the body at a cellular level, and in turn mental health and stability.

Swami Kuvalayananda pioneer of scientific research into breath and health

This ancient knowledge of the breath has been scientifically investigated for the last 100 years at the  Kaivalydhama in India. The findings of the research (that the image above is showing) reveal the many therapeutic benefits that carbon dioxide has on our health and wellbeing. My own teacher, Dr. Paul Dallaghan, has taken the research of Swami Kuvalyananda  to the next level in his 10 year study of stress and the breath.It is this scientific rigour that has illuminated the approach we take here at Evolve Yoga Training.I hear many techniques out there can be quite harsh on the body, unless each individuals capacity is considered. This can result in more stress, an ungrounded state or even triggering trauma - especially if you are moving into hyperventilation without due care and attention.However, in all our Workshops and Trainings, the emphasis is on taking time to re-educate how you breathe so that the nervous system is better regulated and the mind is calm and still.

We focus on first correcting faulty breathing habits, for example, many have tension in the upper abdomen caused by bad posture, stress, a distracted mind and even trauma. This means the respiratory diaphragm (the major muscle for the breath) is tense, resulting in a less effective breathing cycle.We help you to understand through very simple movement patterns and stretches how to unlock the major muscles involved - to open and expand the breath.

Try this experiment...Exhale fully until you are completely empty and observe how the muscles of the lower abdomen slightly contract. Then take a soft slow inhale, becoming particularly aware of the space you create around your lower ribs. You will notice after a few slow breaths (especially if you use the muscles of your throat like a tiny valve) how quickly your tension dissipates.

Why not come to one of our workshops to discover just how quickly you can shift from shallow to diaphragmatic breathing?

If you are wanting a deeper experience, especially if you are yoga teacher, you can experience the benefits of better breathing processing to Pranayama during our six month training.You can read my article why you need to breathe less not more by clicking on the link below. This is how we get the CO2 advantage of better oxygen saturation.