Look After Your Lungs

Dear Yogis,

Back to my book about breathing by James Nestor, I'm afraid! I'm unpacking more and more fascinating stories about the power of the inhalation and exhalation. Nestor talks of a character who 'expanded lungs and extended life spans', Carl Stough. He was a pulmonaut, a 'choir conductor and medial anomaly'. He trained opera singers, athletes and emphysema patients.

'What Stough had discovered... was that the most important aspect of breathing wasn't just to take in air through the nose. Inhaling was the easy part. The key to breathing, lung expansion, and the long life that came with it was on the other end of respiration. It was in the transformative power of a full exhalation'.

What a coincidence that I read this part of the book after I talk in class about stale air in the bottom of the lungs and emphasising exhalation. I laugh to myself because when I first heard of ‘stale air’, I honestly didn’t believe it. I find this in later pages: 'In each exhale, we expel about 3,500 compounds. Much of this is organic (water vapour, carbon dioxide, and other gases), but we also exhale pollutants: pesticides, chemicals, and engine exhaust. When we don't breathe out completely, these toxins sit in the lungs and fester, causing infections and other problems'.

Next week this bombshell: 'The lungs are a weight-regulating system of the body'! (And here’s an article about cleaning and maintain the lungs).

Training

I’ve signed up for this, in lieu of giving up caffeine again! (I suspect that will be the main advice!). Menopause Day Retreat with Meadowlark Yoga Studio It’s on a Thursday: 17 September, 10:00 – 16:00. It’s a day of Special yoga poses (active and restorative), Breathing techniques, Mindful Meditation, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, nutrition tips and a tool kit of techniques to use.

Zoom Classes

Class numbers are falling. It’s inevitable but this is still an extended, bestowed period of time to experiment with my offering. All online teachers are tweaking their offering to see what people prefer, what times, what styles. I’ve lost count of the amount of ultimate Kino Giveaways. From September, I’ll be teaching a Restorative class on Fridays at 6.00-7.00. It will be £5, as the others, but, I’m afraid, not included in the Class Pass. You will need a bolster for it: £38 here or £24.99 here.

I have to admit, I’m not doing this in response to high demand, marches in the street or hefty bribes. It’s just that is it different and I know it will suit some of you. Also, it will suit people who have absolutely no interest in yoga at all; no interest in bending and twisting and upping and downing and so on. Restorative yoga is also good for people with anxiety and stress. And it’s nice.

More information to follow, but get a bolster as soon as you can and it can be used in the stretchy classes.

Yoga in the news

The Telegraph says: Yoga is like flossing for the mind – a boring but essential act of self care. Boudicca Fox-Leonard is at it again!  She says: “When asked why he still does yoga after 40 years, the renowned teacher David Swenson replied: “It’s like brushing my teeth. It’s not particularly exciting, but if I don’t, my mouth feels terrible”.”

iNews has: Yoga on the NHS could help treat anxiety, once you've braved first-timer worries. “This isn’t the first call for yoga to be used as a medical treatment. Prince Charles last year said that encouraging people to take part in yoga classes could ease pressure on the NHS because of its therapeutic effects on the body and mind.”