May 07 Newsletter
Comments and Quotes
We may need to solve problems not by removing the cause but by designing the way forward even if the cause remains in place.
Edward de Bono
Sometimes the situation is only a problem because it is looked at in a certain way. Looked at in another way, the right course of action may be so obvious that the problem no longer exists.
Edward de Bono
If you want to be successful in a particular field of endeavour, I think perseverance is one of the key qualities. It's very important that you find something that you care about, that you have a deep passion for, because you're going to have to devote a lot of your life to it.
George Lucas
Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don’t have any problems, you don’t get any seeds.
Norman Vincent Peale
We wish further develop the ‘Comments and Quotes section’ of the newsletter where we welcome topics, your favourite relevant quotes and comments from you which may be of interest to others regarding health and aspects of life improvement. Maybe you have had a beneficial response which you may wish to share, or have read something fascinating that others will enjoy.
Sending us your text –before the next newsletter is sent (July 07). Items for possible inclusion in future newsletters and feedback (feed-forward) should be sent to: info@peakperformanceforyou.co.uk
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Health Tips
Breathing
We have all been breathing since we were born, but how often have we considered how to breathe? If you have been trained as a singer or musical instrument which involves your breathing you may have had some understanding. Over the next couple of newsletters I will explain about the incredible effects of ‘simply breathing’ on many aspects of the physiology.
To begin with let’s note how we are breathing:
- Take a moment or so and become aware of your breathing. Ask yourself whether you tend to breathe in, or breathe out… more fully or more comfortably? Don’t change your breathing, just notice it.
After a few cycles you may have noticed that you felt a greater ease/depth with either the in-breath or the out-breath.
N.B. The differences may only be subtle.
- Next place a hand on your upper ribs at the top of your breastbone (sternum), and the other hand at the place where your ribs meet in the midline (above your solar-plexus). Without changing your breathing, note if one hand is moving more than the other.
Do you notice any movement happening with ribs under your upper hand or lower hand with your breathing cycle?
Many people find that:
- their breathing is slightly more comfortable on either their in-breath or out-breath
- their upper ribs move even in restful situations …. or
- the upper ribs move more than the lower ribs
If you are in any of these categories then your body may be out of balance and may need ‘re-tuning’.
When your upper ribs move in restful situations (they are designed to work only with our reserve tank – the upper lung fields), then it means that your physiology is spending much energy when not necessary. In addition continual upper rib movement puts tensions in the upper part of the thorax and neck. This in itself can create strain in the neck muscles and be an underlying cause of headache or neck ache.
If your lower ribs do not move as they are designed to work then your digestive system, heart and circulation become less efficient and your lung capacity is not being fully utilised. This may lead to fatigue and tiredness, indigestion, heart-burn, toxicity and over a longer time period, and even varicose veins and haemorrhoids. Tension in the breathing also has a direct relationship to mental tensions and anxiety states.
Hopefully this will indicate just some of the powerful benefits of proper breathing.
A simple exercise:
Remember at all times to breathe normally and not consciously change or control your breathing.
(Breath control techniques need personal supervision and therefore not appropriate in a newsletter).
- Whilst sitting, place your hands facing inwards, on your lower ribs either side of the point where they meet - the junction of your rib cage and your abdomen.
- Have your hands horizontally – with your middle fingers just touching each other in the midline, just above your solar plexus. Your elbows should be pointing away from the sides of your body.
- Be aware of the tips of your middle fingers as you breathe in and out. They should be just touching each other as you come to the end of breathing out.
- Allow yourself to focus on how your breathing pushes your fingertips away from each other as you breathe in and allows them to come together as you breathe out.
- Continue for 5 minutes. DO NOT ALTER YOUR BREATHING; IF IT CHANGES BY ITSELF LET IT HAPPEN.
Benefits
This simple exercise encourages the correct movement of your lower ribs and allows with practise for greater excursion of the lower rib cage. This movement indicates that your diaphragm (the main breathing muscle) is working more efficiently which helps the circulation and digestion. (I will write more about the diaphragm in future newsletters).
A good time to do this exercise is just before sleep, this will encourage better a breathing pattern to establish itself whilst you are sleeping.
Continued practise of this exercise will reduce upper rib movement at times when your body is restful.
If you feel that your body may need some ‘re-tuning’
telephone 015394 33220 to arrange an appointment.
Also see osteopathy section of our website
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‘Children’s Corner’
Our 1st breath
When we are born, with our first breath of air our body goes through dynamic changes to our heart circulation as we have to change from being in the womb to living in air. If we do not take our first breath spontaneously with in a certain time, it is stimulated by the attending midwife/ obstetrician –stimulating the cry response and the breathing is ‘kick started’.
However on a more subtle level it is more complicated than that.
As cranial osteopaths we talk of a more subtle movement in the body called the ‘cranial rhythm’ or ‘involuntary motion’. William Sutherland—who developed this approach also called this subtle motion ‘Primary Respiration’. He did so because he felt that it expressed a ‘cellular breathing’ throughout the whole body, which was independent of breathing by the lungs.
If as a newborn, our 1st lung ‘in-breath’ occurred when our cellular breathing was going through an ‘out-breath’ phase (or vice versa), then discordance would have been set up which can get ‘locked in place’ and affect us for many years. (See above exercise on your noting ease of in and our breath). If as can easily happen, this discordance sets up tension patterns in the physiology of the baby and is also reflected in the growing tissues of the child and even adult.
Some babies seem calmer than others.
Although not the only reason if the breathing is locked, it can explain why the baby carries so much body tension especially following feeding –as described above, our breathing effects our digestion. (Just as true for babies as for adults).
For this reason I take particular attention with babies (and adults) to the manner in which breathing occurs as often a full healthy resolution does not occur without help to this vital system.
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Coaching
Getting out of drifting and knowing your goals
With life and business coaching it is important to know where you wish to head in your life.
When someone comes for a coaching appointment I ask:
“What is it you are looking for, what is it you want to achieve”.
For some people this may be personal aspects, such as a better relationship with colleagues, clients, friends, family or spouse. For others it may have a more ‘concrete’ aspect –
“I want to get a new car.” “I want to earn more money.” “I want to pass this exam.”
Others may wish to get greater organization into their life, if little ever seems to get achieved for them.
Take some ‘time out’ and think about where you are now in differing aspects of your life –home, personal relationships, friends and family, work and career, and then make a list of where you would like to be for each of those aspects of your life.
By doing this process, you will ‘flag up’ areas where you can make the necessary changes easily and also areas where you may need outside help to achieve those goals. Coaching is to assist this process for you.
Coaching is for people who want to gain success…
And for successful people who want greater success!
If you would like a coaching consultation
phone 015394 33220 for either Ambleside or Keswick,
or 01539 720755 for Kendal
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… and finally:
Testimonials
Some people have kindly offered testimonials which we have placed on our website. Some of these have been made anonymous by having just their initials and town of residence shown and some people are happy to be publicly associated with the text. If you or your family have been helped from osteopathy, coaching or our weekend seminars and would like to share your experiences for the benefit of others, send your text by letter or email and indicate if you are happy for your details to be given, or wish anonymity.
Confidentiality
If you have something to offer to any section of the newsletter or a testimonial, but wish to remain anonymous, send me the text by email or post requesting anonymity, and your details will be omitted before entry to the newsletter.
Confidentiality requests will be respected at all times.
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