Excerpt form my book, Meditation
You might think that the most important aspect of this [book] is learning specific breathing techniques that will lead us into enlightenment. But unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work like that. What I can offer are some basic techniques used in various meditation practices, particularly those from the Himalayas, and insights from my experience as an athlete who competed in an anaerobic sport. There’s definitely truth in being able to “catch your breath,” as they say, and to remain in a relaxed state—whether skydiving or fighting in the Thai boxing ring. These are critical aspects of performance.
The goal is simple: breathe when you're feeling anxious. Ensure you're getting more oxygen, not less. In the first stage of awareness, we realize that, throughout our lives, in an anxious state, we unconsciously hold or suppress our breath. It may become shallow—two seconds in, two seconds out—under the pressure of anxiety. That’s just not enough to keep pace with the heart's demand for oxygen. The brain receives the signal that there's a problem, and we’re no longer operating from a higher state of consciousness.
Mastery of the breath is the first physical control we have over our mentality. It's the first step in the process of down-regulating the central nervous system back to a normalized state. The issue with anxiety is that we often forget to focus on breathing exercises when we need them the most. We intend to, but we get caught up in the experience, overly identified with the body’s sensations. And so, we age this way, constantly sucked into the cycle.
This is where different breathing techniques come in—they help us break free from that pattern. Short, sharp exhalations through the nose, focusing purely on the breath, can help create a rhythm that grabs your attention. You may then switch to slower, deeper breaths, holding them for an equal amount of time during each phase of the breath—say, 10 seconds in, 10 seconds hold, 10 seconds out. If you have stronger cardio and 10 seconds doesn’t challenge you, you can try 20 seconds in, 60 seconds hold, and 20 seconds out. But be careful—practicing that too long could make you dizzy or pass out.
The key is to focus on the breath to help transition from anxiety to a relaxed state. This doesn’t mean that when calamity strikes, we won’t need to react. We may feel sadness or grief, like when hearing about the death of a loved one. We don’t have to deny those feelings, but we should breathe through them, letting them flow without being obstructed by anxiety or resistance to those emotions.
There are countless breathing techniques across different cultures, all of which have value. It’s frustrating when I meet breath coaches who claim their method is the only one, that everyone else is wrong, and they can prove it with chemistry. The truth is far simpler: we just need to get more oxygen into our bloodstream and expel more carbon dioxide. Every person has their own unique “code” for the perfect breath. I have no formal research to back this, but it’s a gut feeling I’ve developed from watching different types of athletes, ordinary people, and even animals breathe. It’s just a theory, but I believe it holds weight.