Stretching for Better Breathing                          STRETCH1.TXT
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       We know instinctively how important stretching is to our sense of
       well-being. We feel how it can help relax our muscles, tendons,
       ligaments, and fascia and get our blood moving. As we get older,
       however, many of us find ourselves stretching less and less. This is
       unfortunate, not only for our immediate sense of well-being but also
       for our breathing and health. As I point out in my book and tapes, work
       with breathing is most effective when we can experience our breathing
       in a more intimate way. One of the simplest most practical ways to
       accomplish this is to observe, to sense, our breathing when we stretch.
       Whether we stretch unconsciously after sitting or standing too long or
       consciously in order to explore our breath, we can begin to observe the
       many ways that stretching influences our breath. When we look closely,
       we will normally find ourselves inhaling as we stretch and exhaling as
       we release the stretch, loosening our muscles and other tissues. This
       is one of the breath's natural responses to stretching. So there is no
       need to try to force the inhalation in any way when you stretch. What
       is needed is simply to stretch more often and more parts of yourself
       and to feel and sense your breath as your stretch. It is also important
       in these exercises to always observe your breath after finishing a
       particular exercise to see how your breath has changed. I have a Golden
       Retriever. When I watch her stretch, which she does frequently and in
       many ways, she seems to lengthen and expand in all directions, to
       stretch all her tissues, and to open up the internal spaces of her
       body. During the stretch she seems to occupy more volume. When we
       stretch, especially when we allow ourselves to stretch from the inside
       in many different ways and directions, it is possible to sense the same
       sorts of internal actions. As we do so, we will begin to feel the
       volume of our body and breath grow and expand simultaneously in several
       directions. When you experiment with stretching, begin by stretching in
       whatever way is habitual to you. As you stretch, observe your
       breathing. After working in this way for a minute or two, try
       stretching for a couple of minutes in ways you haven't stretched
       before. Stretch slowly and gently with full awareness. See how this
       affects your breath. Stretch your arms, your legs, behind your knees,
       your feet, your trunk, your neck, and so on. Lift your hands to the
       sky, push them toward the earth, twist and turn in unusual ways. But
       make sure you work comfortably and gently so that you do not hurt
       yourself in any way. (This is a shortened version of an article by the
       same name that appeared originally in the September, 1999 issue of
       Breathing Perspectives.)