Breathing for Daily Life
What is Functional Breathing?
Paramhansa Yogananda, the great yogi who came west in the 1920s, said that yoga and meditation help us to be actively calm, while calmly active. This *duality* is possible using proper breathing. Functional breathing.
Functional breathing simply means to breathe correctly.
As much as we’ve all been taught to take a “big deep” breath to calm our nerves, this is incorrect. I’ve given this cue to students and been on the receiving end myself so I know firsthand how common this advice is and how detrimental it can be.
With correct (functional) breathing, everything we do becomes easier (and better). Whether it’s extending a yoga pose, navigating a difficult conversation (or person), managing conflict, improving your performance on the field, court or in the pool, the breath is your doorway to success. Essentially, your whole life is drastically influenced by the way you breathe. So why not learn to do it correctly?
“Essentially, your whole life is drastically influenced by the way you breathe. So why not learn to do it right?”
Breathing for Athletes
I am especially interested in showing athletes how correct breathing can enhance their performance, which can be a game changer. Literally.
My primary focus is with youth athletes because breathing habits can change the trajectory of their athletic career. When you master your breath, your athletic abilities auto-magically improve because your body is operating more efficiently. You don’t “gas out” so quickly and you feel stronger, longer. In my observations, most athletes (especially youth) do not breathe correctly, which means they are missing out on that extra bit of juice. If you want an edge over your competition, master your breath. It’s your secret weapon.
In yoga, we know that breathing is a fundamental part of the practice. Correct breathing goes hand-in-hand with correct posture; they are complementary, one enhances the quality of the other. With correct breathing, it is easier to hold a difficult pose longer while experiencing a deep sense of peace (actively calm, while calmly active).
And learning to breathe correctly every day, all day, helps us maintain a sense poise while in the throes of whatever life offers, because correct breathing calms our nervous system. With correct breathing patterns, you can find peace even during the most trying times.
“Your breath is your superpower! So long as you can breathe you have a tool to master yourself, your life.”
Oxygen Advantage Certified Instructor
At Oxygen Advantage, Patrick McKeown teaches the breath from a biochemistry, biomechanics and psychophysiological (mind-body connection) point of view, which integrates beautifully with a meditation practice. His work is heavily researched, and he offers hundreds of citations to help us do our own reading and research. His instructor training is accessible and affordable. He is very generous with his time; offering regular refresher courses and has staff to manage a Facebook group where you get answers to a wide range of questions.
If you’re curious and want to learn more, maybe even become an instructor,
go to the Oxygen Advantage FAQ page. As a member of Patrick McKeown’s Oxygen Advantage rewards program, I invite you to use this link to order products or sign up for classes (which gives me a little percentage).
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”
- Etty Hillesum
Be Still Now: A Breathing Class
Upcoming Classes:
New classes starting January 2025 in Seattle. Please inquire for dates, times, and location.
