Counting Breaths

This was the second seminar done on Dec 29, 2011 at this library . Three women were present, two of them were in 16 to 20 range. One was in her forties. Their feedback at the end of the seminar is summarized below.

The seminar was …

I will use this technique to relieve my (concern)

Comments/ Suggestions (if any)

An young medical student attended three of my classes over a period of two months. His mother asked me to help him, as she was worried about his anxiety and obesity. At the end of the third class, he made a self assessment of how he practiced and the change in his concerns.  Here is a brief report -

What modes did he practice and when?
Tip mode, segment mode, counting mode and staring mode at night to sleep,  Feeling mode in an emergency during the day and 911 mode when stressed (1). He practiced in the morning and when waiting,  bored and even when working.  He also practiced the loosening exercises from Yoga (gentle stretching movements) 3 times a week, in addition to his daily running (2).

How did he feel in mind and body?
He felt more focused, less stressed and felt rested. He had 8 hours of very good sleep.

What was the change in his concerns?

Related pages:
(1) Six modes of ‘Focusing on breathing’
(2) Loosening exercises from Yoga

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Feedback from a woman who attended two of my classes over 3 weeks. She is a retired hair dresser referred by Teri Hutson-Mulligan, a diabetes educator at Albany Medical Center to help her improve her breathing. Her problems: Insomnia, hypertension, bottled up anger, obesity and diabetes.

“I really believe the whole learning to breath idea has helped me to take time for myself. My family can’t believe the change in my attitude about everything and I owe it to you CS.”

I made a follow up visit on Nov 1,2011, to the kid’s group, at the American Cancer Society’s Hope club at Latham NY. There were 10 kids out of which 5 had attended my first session on Oct 4, 2011 (1) and 5 were new. There were 3 other adults. I asked each the five kids and adults who attended my previous session how they practiced the technique and how they felt about it. Some of them said they practiced at bed time and some said they practiced in the morning. One 9 year old girl said she practiced at her dentist’s office, to calm herself. I asked her if she did it on her own or any one suggested to her, to use the technique. She said she did it on her own. See the amazing implication of this -

• The 9 year old girl learned the technique and experienced its impact for about 2 minutes in a 15 minute group session. She received my 2 page hand out on the technique (2).
• She clearly understood the technique and liked that brief experience. She internalized the technique, as her own self calming tool.
• She was so comfortable with the technique that she remembered about it when she felt anxious at her dentist’s appointment and used it on her own to calm herself!

Does it not make sense to equip every child with this technique, as a simple and readily usable self calming tool, available life long, at no cost? Is it not as useful as the basic skills of reading the alphabets and counting the numbers? What an incredibly effective life long technique at no cost!

Some of the kids in this group lost a parent or family member due to cancer. As previously planned, I briefly shared with the group, my personal experience of losing my younger brother of 10 years in the year 1965, due to drowning in a lake (3).

I shared with the group the ‘Segment mode’ of focusing on breathing (4).

(1) Introductory seminar for kids at the Hope club
(2) ‘Calm yourself, anywhere, anytime’
(3) My brother Ramu died at the age of 10
(4) How can I do it?

Report from a woman who attended my classes

“I want to thank you for taking all the time you have, to talk with me and look into my health problems. You have really taken an interest in me. You have given me a lot of very good advice in all areas of: physical health, mental health andrelaxation methods. You have also been a good friend to talk to, whom I trust to tell all my problems to and I always leave your class feeling better.You have been better for me than any doctor or therapist I have ever had. I have learned a lot from you and have benefited from all you have taught me. I really enjoy our conversations and hope we can stay friends for a long time.” Rita 45 years (Not her real name). Rita attended 7 of my classes over a period of 4 months. She is under disability and taking regular medications for epilepsy, lupus, poor memory and paranoia for many years. For the first time she feels some hope that she can work on her problems.”

I offered a short seminar of about 30 minutes to the kids and their coordinators and facilitators on Oct 4, 2011, at the ‘Hope club’(1). It was attended by about 10 children and 5 adults. Three of the kids had lost a parent due to cancer and other kids had a cancer survivor as a parent. The proceeding at the seminar is summarized below.

The participants introduced themselves. I demonstrated the ‘Tip Mode’ (2) to them, using one hand. We all practiced together, on one hand, counting the breaths aloud. They did one hand, counting aloud while I was watching their finger movements. Then they alone practiced the technique, till they completed 4 hands (alternating both hands), counting the breaths silently. They were given the choice of keeping the eyes open or closed. Most of them practiced eyes closed. The practice lasted for about  5 minutes. When they opened their eyes all the faces were smiling! This is a common observation.

I asked each participant to share with the group how he or she felt about the experience. They said that they felt relaxed or calm or good.

I asked each of them to share when they intend to use the technique.  Most of them said they would use the technique at bed time. Other ideas were – on waking up, when angry and when stressed.

I distributed a 2 page hand out of the technique “Calm yourself anywhere, anytime” (3), to every participant and the ‘Relax Anywhere, Anytime’ hand out (4) to the adults.

One adult asked whether the breathing should be deep or normal. I clarified that one should breathe normally. One should watch the in and out breaths like watching the waves in the ocean, sitting on the beach. This breathing is a passive observation of the in and out breaths, unlike Yoga breathing, in which the breathing is to be regulated, to meet given guidelines. The facilitators said they would reinforce the practice on the days the kids meet at the club. They would try it during the transitions from one activity to another.

We agreed to meet again after a month, to review the practice and share individual experiences. The tentative date set is Nov 1, 2011.

(1) The Hope club is located at 1 Penny Lane Latham NY 12110 is a part of the American Cancer Society. It offers free programs to support individuals suffering from cancer and their families, including children. I volunteered to offer my periodic seminars and follow up classes at this place to help its members with support from Tracy Pitcher the Director. The children’s programs are coordinated by Alana Streifert.

(2) How can I do it?

(3) Calm yourself anywhere, anytime

(4) Relax anywhere, anytime

(5) Report on the follow up visit

Feedback from a 70 year old patient of my daughter Padma Sripada M.D:
“The ‘Focusing on breathing’ technique has helped me tremendously. Seven years ago I lost my daughter and I went into a deep depression and chronic anxiety, in spite of medications. I started to use the breathing technique and I got to say they were very helpful. For the first time in 7 years I feel my depression has lifted.”