Vipassana

From Phillip:

In vipassana you just watch the breath and bodily sensation without trying to alter or judge looking at all with non attachment.

It is hard to really compare to your work.. although maybe to say that "when one is really able to watch the breath, one notices that the breath self regulates... when we let go into just what is, without attachment and surrender to that... then the truth is able to move through us without inhibition, whether that means better breathing, better digestion to ultimately deep peace with all of life, we can see the beauty in everything."

Going to order new Better Breathing Exercise #2 from the website. I gave mine away.

I have missed practicing and feel drawn to practice again.

PM

From Mike:

Very nicely put. Sounds friendly and familiar.

Lately I've been using a combination of computer and digitally based breathing training devices as a sort of a carbon dioxide and oxygen measuring tool that also functions in a biofeedback way. I have seen that many do not breathe right even when  they appear to the look, sound and feel, to do so.

I had long ago learned that many people can not just watch the breath independently of influencing it. There are distorted "physical" "mentally driven" and/or "biochemically altered", breathing patterns that have been almost "set in cement" that alter the "natural eb and flow of optimal natural breathing" in all phases of mechanical breathing, gas exchange, and intercellular chemistry.

Some of this breathing pattern disorder relates directly to carbon dioxide and uptake/distribution of adequate oxygen.  It also influences intake of cosmic and chi forces and emotional experience(s).  This UDB or Unbalanced Deep Breathing breathing must be addressed to ensure the balance, ease and flow of ALL other mental and biochemical activities. Back to the autonomic nervous system again.

I have created several training methods that use these insights to help train the person into a more optimal breathing pattern. This is making a HUGE difference in the way they see, feel and react to their world. Problems with anger, fatigue, seizures, palpitations, somatics, mental clarity and focus and a host of others are reduced or eliminated. Very quickly, by comparison, to anything I have ever experienced, including Vipassana.

So I strongly suspect this new use of technology will be an aid to those having any difficulty with vipassana.

Several months later.
Beware of long term breath-following exercises.
They can be wonderful for some and harmful for others. I use a scientifically proven biofeedback device to measure blood carbon dioxide saturation and learn that even the slightest attention to the breathing can sometimes cause the inhale to develop a subtle and almost undetectable to the eye or inner sensing, erratic breathing sequencing during the exercise that develops into permanent UDB.  What is perceived as relaxation may be better or worse then it was before but with a long term tendency to cause or exacerbate what I call UDB. If you have tried them and felt they did not work for you, you may have UDB.