Breath

I love to receive book recommendations - nothing is better than immerse yourself in some new knowledge! It always feels like finding a new piece of a puzzle.

This recommendation came from one of my clients: she suggested it because I tend to talk a lot about breath in my opening sessions. James Nestor’s Breath was everything and even more what I thought it would be. Not only was it filled with the most interesting and inspirational theories and teachings on the breathing, but it was also embedded into the author’s own personal journey. An absolute delight to read.

As a wind player, I was taught many things about breathing, most of which turned out to be either incorrect or too vague to be practical. I did my own bit of research into Pranayama, the art of breathing, trying to find solutions for my ragged, noisy in-breath when playing the flute. Other aspects of my breath did not excite me that much - in my mind, it was just a necessary process - getting oxygen into the body and get rid of the carbon dioxide.

I could not be more wrong. This book helped me to understand how my habitual breathing related to my slightly crooked teeth, jaw problems, and frequent illnesses. I learned how important my nose was, and I should be breathing less and much slower. How chewing was important for my health, and what can I do to improve the state of my nasal and oral cavities. Needless to say that all this is closely related to my embouchure and sound production, but the information presented in this book is valuable for everyone, not just wind players.

The book is the summary of three years of research, and it thoroughly examines all sort of methods, from ancient Pranayama traditions to the Wim Hof breathing through the lens of scientific research.

You can find a great interview here with the author.

I think that this book is a great way to start to understand one of the most important functions in our body, which we perform roughly 20,000 times per day, yet we know very little about. It has implications not just to our physical, but to our mental health as well.

I hope you’ll enjoy it!