Powerful breathing techniques for healing

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  Oct, 2005  by Irene Alleger

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The Miracle of the Breath

by Andy Caponigro

New World Library, 14 Pamaron Way, Novato, Georgia 94949 USA

Softcover, c.2005, $15.95, 316 pp.

Master of breath is master of life
--Yoga saying

Thousands of years ago, Eastern yogis and Chinese sages developed powerful systems of breath control that they used for healing and attaining enlightenment. These ancient teachings are powerful because they tap into the spiritual life force. Breath is life.

Until the early 1970s, Andy Caponigro was a well-known concert guitarist and a faculty member at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music. After realizing that his most inspired musical performances were manifestations of the higher states of consciousness described by the Eastern spiritual masters, he began to study yogic practices and spiritual disciplines--especially meditation on the breath. In The Miracle of the Breath, the author presents the millennia-old techniques in new clothes--readily accessible by a modern, stressed-out, fast-paced population. The Eastern scriptures and yogic texts provide little information on how to develop these skills which the author strips of their esoteric secrecy, and instead, provides an integral system of breathing techniques that enable the reader to immediately put this ancient knowledge to work. After Basic Techniques, there are specific techniques to feel calm and solid; others to reduce pain and fear. Once learned, these breathing techniques can be used in daily life with great effectiveness.

Buddha is the most famous Eastern master who became enlightened by meditating on his breathing; meditation on the breath was the discipline he practiced to attain his state of enlightenment. The Buddhist meditation on the breath is called vipassana.

After becoming familiar with meditation on the breath, the next step is to learn the Breath-Releasing Techniques to move our breath out of its habitual pattern. Releasing Techniques expand and invigorate the flow of our breath by dissipating "fear-ridden" blocks.... "As our breath begins moving more freely, the increased flow of prana produces spontaneous healing throughout our mind and body."

Next, we learn Grounding and Strengthening Techniques which deepen and strengthen the flow of breath; they help us to feel solid and grounded in both our mind and body. The deeper and stronger our breathing becomes, the stronger our healing abilities also become. These techniques practiced by Taoist masters enabled them to stay remarkably calm and steady during times of crisis.

After learning to expand and deepen the flow of the breath, the next step is to improve the balance with Breath-Balancing techniques--balancing the tensions of our in- and out-breaths. As our in- and out-breaths become more evenly matched, our feelings of anxiety, self-conflict, and self-doubt spontaneously begin to disappear.

Breath-Retention Techniques are the ultimate breathing system used by Eastern yogis and martial artists to accumulate great inner reserves of spiritual strength and power--probably used by the QiGong masters, as well, for healing.

One of the virtues of The Miracle of the Breath is that one can learn the basic meditation technique to defuse the everyday stress level, and stop there--or go on to learn how to master fear, and control pain. With daily practice, these techniques can unquestionably help the body to heal. The author provides detailed instructions--easy-to-follow, and foolproof. The only caveat is that one must actually experience the techniques to understand how they work.

There are wonderful chapters on Mastering Fear, and Healing Illness, advanced techniques that enable one to use the breath for healing a broad spectrum of physical and emotional disorders, ranging from headaches, respiratory problems, and intestinal difficulties to anxiety attacks, insomnia, and conflicting emotions.

Another virtue of this book is that although it is based on the less familiar techniques of Eastern masters, the author keeps the text oriented to Western thought and culture, while putting them within their historical context.

People who are over-stressed (most Westerners) tend to be shallow breathers. Less oxygen means less ability to control fear, anxiety, or pain. As a yoga practitioner and familiar with vipassana, I have often wished to see research on these breathing techniques, for asthmatics, as well as people who experience anxiety or panic attacks. But for everyone, these easily-learned breathing techniques have the power to prevent, as well as heal, illnesses.

The Buddha once said, "Always practice mindfulness of breathing, for when that is maintained it brings great fruits and many blessings."

review by Irene Alleger

COPYRIGHT 2005 The Townsend Letter Group
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group