As promised, here’s our next breath “mythbusting” contribution courtesy of my esteemed colleague and co-presenter Amy Matthews
MYTH: “Deep breathing is always better.”
It is NOT true that we should always breathe as deeply as we possibly can. There is not one single ‘right way’ to breathe, and the most effective breath is the one that is most suited to that person, in that moment.
Sometimes a shallow breath is the most effective choice – in biological systems the qualities of being deepest, longest and biggest are not necessarily indicators of success. Success arises from being effective . . . just good enough. So taking a deeper breath than we need might literally be a waste of time and energy.
Instead of always going for deeper and stronger breaths, can we instead cultivate adaptability and responsiveness?
Our October 24 & 25 symposium is filling up fast, so be sure to register now!