David, I can’t hear you breathing…
From across the room I heard those words…
I generally look towards the positive side of things. It’s always been that way and I have no clue as to why. I’ve always had this feeling that everything will work out. MS was discovered in the prime of my life; forty one years old. That’s not good news but as I have blogged previously I did not give it its due that I probably should have. I’m not sure what I could have done anyways. There are no answers and the gravity of this diagnosis was a slow burn.
And it’s still burning.
I can’t deny the benefits that yoga has provided to me but it’s not a panacea. It can’t save me from the slow burn that is active in my body. I’m an optimistic man but I’m also pragmatic. I’m a firm believer in science / research and at some point there will be a cure or at least a known cause in my lifetime but I doubt that will benefit me.
For me to get fixed would require some form of regeneration of myelin and a resolution to my narrowing cervical spine channel. I’m optimistic but that’s not gonna happen – as I said I’m pragmatic.
What can I expect?
I have a decision coming up again about do I continue with my medication. I have an MRI in a few weeks and then a meeting with my neurologist afterwards. The results from this scan will inform this decision.
I do not like MRI’s, they are not painful but they are loud and somewhat claustrophobic. I have to stay completely still while inside a very loud pounding narrow tube for about 30 minutes. It’s interesting that my practice helps me get through it – slow and deep breathing. Every time I have one I always say I’ll never do it again – but here I go again. It’s kinda moot because whatever the MRI indicates there’s nothing anyone can do. It’s just a snapshot of this time in the journey but there is always hope.
This issue of my blog may sound somewhat down but it’s something I’ve always known about MS; there is no cure. It will progress at whatever rate it wants to and that is the reality no matter what I do. Medication and lifestyle changes have slowed that progress and yoga has played a role in realizing that positivity comes from unexpected places.
But this is a good news story to blog about.
Part of the journey is discovery and I continue to discover that the benefits of yoga are becoming more and more backed by science. The physical benefits of yoga are plain and simple. I’m physically stronger and more flexible and that scientific correlation is easy to make. But how do I explain that my memory is better. How do I explain that I’m much more relaxed. How do I explain that my mind is clearer.
It’s said that a little knowledge can be dangerous – well, this post is about to get very dangerous – ha.
I know my practice has benefited me when it comes to the affects of MS. The physical benefits are easy to understand but the space between my ears is what is difficult to connect to yoga scientifically. I know my proof but that is not scientific it’s just an assumption.
I’ve yakked on and on about the breath in this blog but if you haven’t caught my drift; I think it’s the most important part of practice. Scientifically speaking; deep and slow breathing with sound stimulates the Vagus nerve which without going into to much detail, and there’s lots of it, is part of the parasympathetic nervous system. It’s the longest of the cranial nerves, often called the Queen of the 12 crainial nerves. Beginning in the brain stem from the medulla oblongata and winding its way down the trunk to the stomach with branches that connect with the larynx, heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and other “stuff” (great scientific term). Sounds like I know what I’m talking about but it’s just what I’ve red in books and online.
Manual stimulation of the vagus nerve is an intrinsic component of the Ashtanga yoga practice. Breath with sound, raising arms in sun salutations, the invocation, chanting, pranayama, all stimulate the vagus nerve.
Stimulating the vagus nerve (breath with sound) has also been shown to slow heart rate, lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and is also believed to reduce inflammation.
My pranayama practice includes, amongst other things, alternate nasal breathing and Bhramari which is a form of humming with vibration, bee breath, and these forms of breath with sound all stimulate the vagus nerve.
All these components of Ashtanga connect with what is mostly invisible and reveals itself slowly, and for me, irrefutable results – I’m a living breathing (ha) example.
And I’ve realized and changed course on chanting the invocation in my head. Last months post mentioned in part about reciting the invocation in my head without chanting it out loud. However I’ve realized that I’m wasting an opportunity to stimulate my vagus nerve. So now there is sound coming from deep in that subterranean mess (basement) and it might scare the bjesus out of whomever gets up early enough to hear it.
It excites me when science catches up with this ancient practice – ya I know, it doesn’t take much.
And yes teach, I’m breathing…
with sound.
Thank you.
Be safe.