The Breathing Book: Good Health and Vitality Through Essential Breath Work by Donna Farhi

Author:Donna Farhi [Farhi, Donna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781429997904
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 1996-11-15T08:00:00+00:00

FIGURE 21A

FIGURE 21B

The Cat, Variation B Now return to the all-fours position. This time you are going to work on one small segment of your back at a time. Imagine that you are a kitten being picked up by your fur. Start with the uppermost part of your back where the neck joins the torso. As you breathe in strongly push upwards in this one spot, pressing down through your arms to get the optimum lift. Imagine that you are being lifted right from that point and that you are directing your breath into that area. As you exhale, let your vertebrae release the other way, allowing that very same part of the back to depress downward. When you release, let go of any tension in the back rather than trying to push the spine lower. Continue down the spine a few vertebrae at a time until you reach the place where your lumbar vertebrae join the sacrum (about where the line of your underpants would be). When you are through take a moment to feel how your breath is moving throughout your body. Also make a mental note of any areas in your spine where you felt restriction or stiffness. If you repeat this exercise you might want to spend a little more time on these places. Now rest, bringing your buttocks onto your heels, relaxing the head and arms on the floor.

Variation—Working with a Partner The exercise above can be very powerful if done with the help of a partner. Instead of getting on all-fours you will interlock your hands and bring the elbows to the floor directly underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips. Your partner will assist you by pressing down on the place you wish to open, allowing you to focus more precisely on each area. They will also be making you work against some resistance. The helper can kneel facing their partner’s back, or in any other position where he can effectively put the weight of his body behind the movement. The helping partner crosses his thumbs and places them on either side of the spine, but not directly on the bones (Figure 22A).

Start at the level of the spine that corresponds to the tops of the shoulder blades. (Do not press on the neck vertebrae as this can injure the spine.) The helping partner presses firmly downwards so you will have to work more strongly to lift that part of your back with your breath. As you inhale and round upward against the pressure of your partner’s thumbs, direct the breath into that area (Figure 22B). As you exhale, let the spine release the other way (Figure 22C). Your partner should keep his pressure consistent during both the flexion and the extension part of the movement. After a few repetitions, the helping partner moves up to the next segment and continues segment by segment until he is finally just above the crack of the buttocks.

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