Breathing exercises for "relaxation" -- They completely stress me out!

[Arugula Latte]

Anyone else find breathing techniques utterly non-relaxing? I swear, whenever I'm told how and when to breathe it makes me want to strangle the person, whether it's a yoga instructor or childbirth educator or whoever. Being told how to breathe during labor just pissed me the hell off and was completely counterproductive. And during physical exercise when you're supposed to breathe out during this movement and breathe in during that movement -- crap, I get all mixed up and it completely throws me off. Am I the only one that feels this way?

[Kutjara]

1. But but but if you don't breathe correctly...

your chi will get all tangled up with your chakras and leak onto your karma...or something. Just think of the children!

[Arugula Latte]

2. I'd rather just drink a chi chi than worry about my chi

:9

[Gormy Cuss]

3. You sound stressed.

Take a few deep breaths and exhale slowly.
:P

[Arugula Latte]

7. Aaaah, why didn't I think of that?

:D :hi:

[LaraMN]

4. Yes. The resident at the hospital when I was in labor

with SophieMN basically told me I wouldn't be able to handle an unmedicated birth process since I wasn't properly trained in Lamaze techniques. I had tried them previously and didn't find them comfortable. I did just fine with my own "techniques".

[Lethe]

5. yes i agree completely

trying to control my breath results in increased frustration a lot of times.

I watched a yoga dvd the other day and the lady said that this is really common for people who are really stressed out. You just have to keep doing it i guess?

[Arugula Latte]

8. Maybe so ...

I've never had the patience to stick with it ...

[Beausoir]

6. I tried bio-feedback once and it made me hyperventilate.

[Parche]

9. I Am On The Willamette, I Cant Breath

:rofl: :rofl: :hi:

[Arugula Latte]

11. Inhale the refreshing fumes of I-5 ...

:hi:

[zanne]

10. Whenever I'm told to concentrate on my breathing...

I hyperventilate. So much for yoga and hypnosis.

[redqueen]

12. Heavens no!

But then I trained for years, so... I kind of got used to it.

Tried Qi Gong (Qigong, Chi Kung)?

[SPKrazy]

13. No, but there are other ways to accomplish the same thing

many different ways to get to a state of relaxation.

Breathing is something we all do so it is easy to suggest modified forms that will help someone relax unless they get frustrated with them and then it is useless.