Lesson 1: Control Your Breath, Control Yourself, Command Others
Lesson 2: The Language of Breath
Lesson 3: Cultivating Energy
Lesson 4: Wielding Energy
"The modern warrior's most powerful weapon is his breath."
Breath dominates our lives. To truly understand at which capacity, it is imperative we look beyond breath's more obvious role inside of the human body and start understanding the effect our breath is having on the world around us.
Lesson 1: Control Your Breath, Control Yourself, Command Others
Non-Verbal Communication and The Limbic System
A modern warrior understands that non-verbal communication is the most powerful form of social interaction. This is because of the limbic system. The limbic system is the freeze, flight or fight response human beings have to environmental stimuli. An example of this is the way you wince and freeze when a dish breaks, or when the wind slams the front door shut. Your head snaps in the direction of the sound, your heart skips a beat and starts racing, your eyes bulge, you freeze, and at some point, you may or may not get the chance to think about what just happened. The reaction is automatic, and almost impossible to control... almost.
Our limbic system and subconscious mind are always at work. They don't just turn on when we hear a loud noise and then turn off once we realize there's no danger. They're continuously receiving and processing information; no matter how "intense" or "subtle" that information may be.
"Intense information" activates the limbic system so quickly that the body starts responding before the conscious mind can receive and process the stimuli. "Subtle information" activates the limbic system so softly that the information is rarely received, let alone processed, by the conscious mind.
And there are other times, when we are trying to lie or hide something (which is more often than we consciously realize), when even the most practiced modern warrior cannot entirely override the limbic system: sweaty palms, clinched perineum, elevated heart rate. And because everyone has the ability to receive "subtle information," those around us are losing our trust whether they are consciously aware of it or not.
It is imperative to understand that everyone around us is receiving multiple signals about us every moment we remain in their presence. This psychological concept is often referred to as "Thin-Slicing."
We rarely consider the amount of information that is continuously spewing from our bodies. Even rarer do we actually take responsibility for it. This information, or stimuli, does not need to form a thought in the conscious mind of an observer to become apparent. Often the observer doesn't even realize that our short, shallow, erratic breaths matched with occasionally neck touching is the cause of their inability to trust us, despite our intention to speak from a place of honesty and truth.
Breath is the Foundation of Body Language
Body Language (posture, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, touch) is a primary component of non-verbal communication, and the mastery of such a skill is a lethal arrow any veteran modern warrior should have in his arsenal.
Breath is at the core of body language, along with the heart. They work together to set the tempo of our internal environment at all times. When that dish breaks, or when that door slams shut, we don't realize it, but our heart is the first to respond; and most often it responds before the dish hits the ground, and before the door touches the frame. It's a strange phenomenon, but it is proven science, and we will save that discussion for another time.
At this point in evolution, most of us do not possess the ability to control our heart rate without practiced, monitored movement patterns (running on a treadmill, rowing, cycling, etc.) There are many people who can tell you their heart rate within 2-3BPM while running on a treadmill or cycling, but without the practiced action to activate the heart, it is nearly impossible to control it otherwise.
Example: If I asked an experienced runner whose Resting Heart Rate (RHR) was 60BPM to get his heart rate to 160BPM while running on a treadmill, chances are he could probably do it; if I asked him to keep his heart rate at 60BPM while sitting in a chair, while I randomly smashed dishes against the wall, while asking him personal questions about his childhood chances are it would be close to impossible.
What seems to go hand-in-hand with the heart's uncontrollable response to stimuli is the sharp, short, sudden inhale that happens when the dish hits the ground. This short, sudden breath is a sign that the body is responding in alert or panic which sends out a signal of fear.
Fortunately for us, the ability to control our breath, even in the midst of perceived danger, is an ability all of us can learn to master.
Example: If I asked that same experienced runner to continue sitting in the chair, but this time, all I wanted him to do was take controlled, deep, diaphragmatic breaths, 5 seconds in and 5 seconds out, chances are it wouldn't be very difficult. If I began smashing dishes and asking personal questions about his childhood again, he may lose concentration and break the rhythm quite a few times at first, but over time, and with practice, he will sustain the controlled breathing in the midst of physical and psychological distress.
A modern warrior must master his breath in every situation. By doing so, we dramatically increase our ability to control the outcome of most situations: getting cut off while driving on the highway, talking to an attractive women, while in a job interview, or while in a fist fight with a drunk man at a bar.
The key is controlled diaphragmatic breathing.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
There are a 6 basic steps to proper breath control:
- Proper Posture
- Mouth Closed / Tongue on Palate
- Inhale Through Nose
- Diaphragm Contracts
- Exhale Through Nose
- Diaphragm Relaxes
1. Proper Posture
It is essential a modern warrior is always conscious of his posture. The spine should be fully elongated, the hips tucked, the front torso soft and receptive. Even while seated, the spine should be tall and elongated, stomach soft with plenty of room to fully expand. Proper posture is essential for powerful, effective breathing.
2. Mouth Closed / Tongue on Palate
A modern warrior breathes with his mouth closed and the tongue deliberately pressed against the roof of his mouth. It is easier to fill the diaphragm fully by inhaling through the nose. It is critical that the tongue remain pressed against the upper palate (reasons for this will be explored later).
3. Inhale Through Nose
Inhaling through the nose will help slow down and control the breath. Often when we breathe through our mouths, the oxygen only fills our chest. Inhaling strictly through the nose helps activate the diaphragm.
4. Diaphragm Contracts
As the diaphragm contracts, the stomach relaxes and expands outward. If all you feel is your stomach pushing out, it's a good start, but a true, deep diaphragmatic breath fills the entire lower half of the body, and should be felt as deep as the perineum. We practice by putting our hands on our stomach, and as we draw air in through our nose, our stomach should expand and push our hands out.
5. Exhale Through Nose
Deliberately force air out through your nose. It should be a steady, even and controlled exhale as the air moves out, trying to match the tempo and pressure of the inhale.
6. Diaphragm Relaxes
As the diaphragm relaxes, draw the abdominal muscles inward and steadily move the air back up the body and out the nose. The idea is to create a vacuum with your diaphragm, eliminating short, shallow, chesty breathing.
As the diaphragm contracts, the stomach relaxes and expands outward. If all you feel is your stomach pushing out, it's a good start, but a true, deep diaphragmatic breath fills the entire lower half of the body, and should be felt as deep as the perineum. We practice by putting our hands on our stomach, and as we draw air in through our nose, our stomach should expand and push our hands out.
5. Exhale Through Nose
Deliberately force air out through your nose. It should be a steady, even and controlled exhale as the air moves out, trying to match the tempo and pressure of the inhale.
6. Diaphragm Relaxes
As the diaphragm relaxes, draw the abdominal muscles inward and steadily move the air back up the body and out the nose. The idea is to create a vacuum with your diaphragm, eliminating short, shallow, chesty breathing.
Practice Exercises:
Exercise 1: Spend 72 hours becoming aware of your breathing patterns. Throughout your days notice how you breath: while driving a car, while talking to a friend, while talking to an attractive woman, while at work, while walking down a busy street, and while sitting in a bar.
More importantly, notice your breathing when you get cut off while driving, when your friend says something that makes you angry, when the attractive woman your talking to blows you off, when the boss walks in the room at work, when the guy at the bar wants to fight.
Exercise 2: Once 72 hours of observation is complete, begin practicing controlled diaphragmatic breathing all day, every day. Do it while driving. Can you maintain controlled breath even when you accelerate to make a yellow light or when someone cuts you off? Do it while at work. Can you do it when the boss walks in the room or asks you a question?
Lesson Summary:
Continuous, controlled diaphragmatic breathing is a skill every modern warrior must possess. A veteran modern warrior keeps his breath controlled in spite of fear, in spite of danger, in spite of concern; because he understands how critical his breath is to controlling the outcome of every situation.
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