"Learning entails more than the gathering of information. 

Learning changes the learner."

~G.A. Bradshaw,

Talking With Bears

It's been a little over three weeks since the fall yoga session started, yet quite a few Satori students have already stumbled upon some brilliant breath-related insights. 

Some couldn't stop yawning during a simple breathing routine. Others realized that breathing through the nose can feel suffocating.

A few discovered new-found tension in their throat from breath-grabbing and forceful exhalation. Several yogis learned that pausing their breathing leads to a profoundly relaxing Savasana.

This week, I decided to revisit the CO2 Tolerance Test because, often, this is where a more conscious relationship with our breathing begins. 

This test is usually done while sitting upright. Please lie down if you can't find a comfortable sitting position.

• Sit comfortably on the floor or the chair.
• Ideally, your back is supported. Supporting your back will help to relax some of the chronic postural muscle tension and allow the diaphragm to move better.
• Have a timer ready.
• Take three normal nasal inhales and exhales.
• Take a full nasal inhale; start the timer and exhale slowly through the nose. Do not swallow.
• Stop the timer when your exhale is finished.
   

Stop the test if you experience

• Panic.
• Swallowing.
• Running out of air.
• Needing to take an extra breath.
• Needing to breathe through the mouth.

This test measures your body's tolerance to CO2.

As you now know, CO2, or carbon dioxide, plays a vital role in relaxation response. Symptoms listed above - panicking, running out of air, needing to take an extra breath - all indicate that your body is struggling with the CO2 during the test. This means that your carbon dioxide tolerance is so low that even the test itself is pushing it over the limit.

A 30 second exhale length is at the very bottom of the normal range. Nervous system is considered compromised if you score anything below the 30 second threshold. It is deemed extremely sensitive if you have to stop the test.

Many students ask what they can do to improve their CO2 tolerance. A well-paced and carefully structured breathing program is the answer to this question. Such program is precisely what the Breath Xpress class is built upon.