Week 1 - Day 2

I started with the breathing exercises using both my mouth and nose to take in as much air as possible and was able to hold my breath longer. 2:01, 2:03, 2:05. I had a bit of anxiety when experiencing lightheadedness and my ears ringing, but I am growing to appreciate it as my body changing rather than something to fear.

This time I have been closing my eyes during the process to witness how my body is utilizing the extra oxygen and the energy that is surging through my body rather than sitting with my eyes open wondering if I am going to pass out. This proved to be a very calm and present experience.

I felt tingling through out my entire body, ringing in my ears, and after I felt amazing.

I went and had my warm shower and approached it as if I was waiting in a dentists office. I knew the cold was coming and I was not at all looking forward to it. I started my warm shower and after I was finished, tried to delay the inevitable. Eventually I came to terms with what was to come, focused myself, then shut off the hot and braced for impact.

It's terrible. I doubt it gets any better. I start with pointing the shower at my chest and once that becomes not such a shock, start moving it onto my shoulders and a bit on my back. After about 45 seconds I got out and felt amazing, present, and alive. I am looking forward to the weeks ahead.

Since I tend to have a bit of free time on my hands, I asked the WHM community if I could do the lesson more than once a day.

To my surprise, a member told me that I shouldn't rush it and just practice once a day because I could risk 'getting sick'. I asked what he meant by that, and was surprised by the answer. Here's the direct copy/paste of the reply I received from a few members.

"it is (getting sick)something many of us experience around week 2-3... feels like a common cold. the second time i got asthma like symptoms, the third time all went well so dont worry"

In reply to that comment...

"I think what you might be experiencing is something the Buteyko method calls a "cleansing reaction" to your new breathing techniques. Here is an excerpt that explains it a little bit: "...The cleansing reactions are actually quite simple. Deep breathing disrupts the metabolic process in the cells, starving them of oxygen. The body then excretes beneficial salts - sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus - as it compensates for the increasingly alkaline environment. You’ll know how that movement towards alkalinity occurs, I’m sure.” The Doctor wrote down the chemical formula on a piece of paper and moved it over to Natalya. “Carbon dioxide dissolved in water is exactly the same thing as carbolic acid.” He jabbed a finger at the formula he had written. “And since deep breathing brings about a deficiency of carbon dioxide in the body, the inner environment naturally becomes more alkaline. Deep breathing distorts immune reactions since it leads to an accumulation in the body of partially oxidized metabolic compounds that cause allergic reactions when they come into contact with external allergens. When deep breathing is eliminated using the Method, the metabolic processes are normalized. The excretory organs work more efficiently, and that’s what leads to the body cleansing itself. In the majority of patients, cleansing reactions are observed through all possible channels: salivation increases, as does lachrymation and sweating; people experience head colds, the elimination of phlegm and so on. It’s a very beneficial process. But unfortunately it can be a bit painful. It’s actually like the patient’s illness re-run backwards."

After which I was told to make sure to drink lots of water.