Learning to Breathe So a Printer Can Live
The day is piling on. There’s an issue with your printer and it’s pressing you. These copies need to be ready in 30 mins. Your brain is shutting down regardless of your need to take in information and you are reacting from panic. There isn’t enough oxygen in your body. Your tension has hit the roof. Regulation is gone. We are now begging for a miracle from the printer Gods. The gears grind and nothing happens, the next minute, another printer learns to fly.
The miracle is given, but not the one we wanted.
This could all have been avoided with the application of breath regulation.
‘We’re just babies, we’re just babies man’ The Digable Planets
Babies know how to breathe perfectly. They know exactly who they are and they don’t care what you think about it. If you watch a wee baby running around their wee bellies popping out on a full in breath and back in on the outbreath, they are joyfully breathing with a full tank of oxygen. We all come in like this. Knowing how to relax and breath is natural to everyone. Would that we lived on a mountain top free from all responsibilities, printers and judgements.
As life goes on various stressors come in. The amount and continuity of stressors decide how the involuntary fight or flight response is activated, when faced with a fearful situation. This is accompanied by a shallow chest breath. Shallow breathing tells the mind, the body is under attack, reinforcing the need for shallow breathing, creating an anxiety loop. This can result in a variety of issues from performance anxiety to flying printers.
Ishmael Butler (“Butterfly”), Craig Irving (“Doodlebug”) and Mary Ann Vieira (“Ladybug Mecca”)
A daily practice of breathing mindfully and recognising stressors saves so much time that can be spent enjoying life and learning not to sweat the small stuff.
‘Bring me danger, I turn all my fears to friends……..cause this is what I live for.’ Graffiti Ghosts
Singing is a brilliant mindfulness technique enabling the singer to master mind/body connection, amidst some of the highest stressors a human will volunteer to put themselves through. It’s about finding that sweet spot. That point of joy and relaxation. That’s how we know we are doing it right. The ability to project our emotions through our voice is one of the greatest healing gifts we have. It enables true connection with the audience. It opens hearts and minds, When its done right, it can change lives.
With a daily practice, our relaxation levels grow and become natural. We can revert to our original childish nature. Coming back into that original authenticity we were born with we are able to apply the style we have attained going through life. Our song is what we defend and our ability to be both relaxed and controlled is how we do that. Thus producing an epic and joyful performance.
When we can be mindful of our stressors, we know how to prepare ourselves for what is coming. We have the wisdom to prioritise so that we can approach the challenge head on. And most importantly, we can use our stressors by transmuting them in performance.
‘Breathe the pressure, come play my game I’ll test ya’
The Prodigy
Liam Howlett (founder/producer), Keith Flint (dancer/vocalist), Maxim (MC), and Leeroy Thornhill (dancer).
While losing our temper in society is usually discouraged, releasing our anxiety, stress and rage in our art and performance, puts the fury where it should be.
In this way we get the release and another printer is saved from getting its wings.
If you’d like to see our vocal services you can check Angelic Sounds Vocaland ourSound Therapies page
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Here’s a wee tutorial from the NHS on diaphragmatic breathing https://www.ruh.nhs.uk/patients/patient_information/PHY044_Diaphragmatic_Breathing.pdf
Examination of What- The Digable Planets