Breath Token May 2017

13. May 2017
Breathwork
by Nicola Caroli

A breath token is a breathing exploration that I develop for friends & clients and send out as a gift.

Centering with „S“
Exhaling with an „S“ sound has a strong centering effect. In any stretching motion like lifting the toes, bending to one side with the torso or extending the arms, for example, one can accompany the return back to centre with an exhaled „S“ sound to enhance both the outward motion as well as the return. Alternatively I can stay in the stretch for 3 breaths, exhaling with an „S“ sound and then release back to centre. Read More

The body without unity

27. April 2017
Breath Diary
by Nicola Caroli

I recently discovered the catalogue accompanying the artist Michael Müller’s solo exhibition at the KW Institute for Contemporary Art, called “WER SPRICHT? WHO’S SPEAKING?”. I was startled by his lucid and visceral speech and couldn‘t stop contemplating it. Here‘s an excerpt:

„We are confronted with a map of the present and it frightens us into being, a cartography too real, because within its coordinates a photographic likeness of all our mistakes has been implanted Read More

Doing breathing exercises is not enough

27. April 2017
Breathwork
by Nicola Caroli

In his Audio CD „Natural Breathing“, Dennis Lewis talks about his personal discovery of natural breathwork. He gives a succinct, measured and accessible explanations about how breathing works and includes introductory breath explorations. I’ve been listening to his CD for a couple of years now and never get tired of his measured and thoughtful language and tone of voice. He makes several statements about doing breathing exercises that are key and I‘d like to share one of them with you:

„To reclaim the natural, authentic breathing that is our birthright, simply doing breathing exercises is not enough. Let me repeat that: doing breathing exercises, however wonderful they are, is not enough. We also need to begin a process of re-education of our perception. Read More

Breath Token April 2017

14. April 2017
Breathwork
by Nicola Caroli

A breath token is a breathing exploration that I develop for friends & clients and send out as a gift.

Sliding Knees
I like to do this when I’m sitting on the train, or when I’ve been sitting for a while to bring aliveness to the position and to the breath.
Sitting, sensing my sitting bones meeting the surface I‘m sitting on, I slide one knee forward and release it back. Then I switch to the other side.  Allowing time for the breath to flow with the movement, the inhale can come on the gentle sliding motion and the exhale on the release of the sliding motion, or vice versa. Read More

The Window in: Following the breath

14. April 2017
Breathwork
by Nicola Caroli

In the article „The Window In: Following the Breath“, Sonny Whitelaw beautifully describes the heart of Donna Fahri‘s Yoga teaching.

“Everything that moves, breathes, opens and closes Lives in the Self.”
Mundaka Upanishad 2.1. Translated by Eknath Easwaran

It begins when we are still in the womb – an expanding, condensing rhythm, threaded together by moments of pause. It is the pulse of the universe, and from the moment of conception we are that. While we are in our mother’s body, the breath is an interior movement, a process of shimmering cellular respiration. At the moment of birth, when we first breathe into the lungs, we are initiated into the family of things. Suddenly the world is in us and we are in the world. Read More

Godzilla’s Atomic Breath Types

1. April 2017
Breath in Literature & Art
by Nicola Caroli


In my research on breath-related subjects I came across a video game with fascinating breath types by the prehistoric/fantastical reptile hybrid „Godzilla“. Godzilla: The Game is made by Natsume Atari for Play Station 3 and 4. There are different modes in which the game can be played, and where Godzilla is given different modes of attack, based on different Godzilla films. In the „Evolution Mode“, Godzilla is given atomic breath upgrades to attack its enemies, for example: the ability to use atomic breath to fly, as in the film “Godzilla vs. Hedorah” (1971) as well as fire Minilla’s smoke rings in the film “Son of Godzilla” (1967) or use a white misty atomic breath in the original “Godzilla” film (1954).
I found it interesting that in the game industry, breath is seen as an upgrade and as possessing atomic power which benefits even Godzilla.

The invisibility of breathlessness

1. April 2017
Breathing Science
by Nicola Caroli

In her podcast “The invisibility of breathlessness: physiology, perceptions and politics”, Prof Jane Macnaughton, who is part of the team of the unique and innovative Life of Breath project, discusses why breathlessness is an invisible symptom and why the people who experience it can be invisible in society. Read More

Just Breathe

19. March 2017
Allgemein
by Nicola Caroli

“Just Breathe”, Dan Brulé’s new book on breathwork is coming out on the 28th of March 2017. Dan Brulé has been teaching breathwork since the 70s. He has been teaching all over the world and has integrated many different types of breathwork into his own “breath mastery”. You can check out all about the book here: Just Breathe

Dan Brulé writes about the uses and applications of breath work in his February Newsletter of breathmastery: “I have been focused on Breath and Breathing Training since 1970, so it’s hard for me to believe that many people still have no idea what breathwork is all about! And so this month, as a reminder to all my friends, students and fellow breath workers, and for those who are new to it, here are some of the uses and applications of Breathwork. Read More

Breath Token March 2017

17. March 2017
Breathwork
by Nicola Caroli


Credit: Kirill Abdrakhmanov

A breath token is a breathing exploration that I develop for friends & clients and send out as a gift.

Stroking along the body walls
Since natural breath practice is a body work focussed on breathing, we connect first to the chest space where the lungs and heart are. We stroke up one arm, over the shoulder and down along the breastbone. We do the same thing stroking up the other arm. Read More

Put out your foot to the extent of your carpet

17. March 2017
Breath Diary
by Nicola Caroli


Credit: Kirill Abdrakhmanov

In January I visited the international conference „Outcast Voices – reflections on the marginalized, the exiled and the secondary in classical and modern Arabic culture“ at Haifa University. In one of the lectures, Prof. Alexander Key quoted the Persian and Arabic wisdom „Put out your foot to the extent of your carpet“ or „Stretch out your legs to the extent of your robe“, in its different versions across time. Read More