I have got to say I love the way you piece this subject together with hardcore science. I think you are at the true cutting edge of meditation and science and you're heart rate variability meditation style has been a boon to my practice. I also enjoyed and use your straight to the point body/mind chi exercise of the three emperor's / lahiri's three knots. Thank you!😁
Jidun! Thank you so much! I'm so glad you taking it to heart! Literally! ... And the somatic exercise! Fantastic! That riddle unlocks a lot of what kundalini experience really is.
All the years I’ve practiced meditation, never knew that normal breath rates were less than 1/3-1/2 of what’s considered normal medically today! Thx a million, you’re doing a priceless service to human kind!!!
Geez what good fortune to have found your channel tonight.. Down to earth tips that could help.. That ARE helping haha.. I was starting to develop a state of panic as my body has started moving on its own during meditation just a week or so ago and I was searching for what was going on online and found all these dramatic videos of people going through hell.. Geez Louise. I've already been through enough hell imo 4 years ago during psychosis which I have really not landed from yet.. And I never will see/ experience things as before in several instances. In most ways I'm just deeply grateful for the experience.. Like in the area of what is memory, time, dimensions what is "reality".. Looking back this energy was from time to time already at work then as I was being danced across my Livingroom floor laying down for example. Which was a beautiful experience.. It's just that I could handle it as my whole state of consciousness was altered at the time. But some of the psychotic episodes I don't ever want to go through again.. So when my body started moving it really scared me.. Even though it was also soothing and not all that wild.. I mean I started meditating BECAUSE I want to remain in the NOW. To tame this mind and decrease the chance of loosing grip again so, when my body started moving and leaving me no doubt that it was energy moving without my conscious effort, I felt like: uh oh.. Now what?? .. I know the Universe is SO powerful as to what it can have you experience, that, yes, it does scare me at times to the point "I'm just hanging in there". I do know very well what it's like to have nothing to hold on to.. No frame of reference anymore. I'm still shook from that episode 4 years ago even though the vast majority of it was full of humor and friendly in nature. It was mostly really hard on my family because they just saw me change and I could not be reached at all.. I do not ever want them to go through that again.. I prayed a lot last night, very intensely to please slow it down, to please have love and mercy on me and let me just be a loving beeing, that's still able to function and not land in a psych ward.. To not let my family be in such distress as they were 4 years ago when they could not get me help.. Another video by you that I just watched basically gave that same advise, to pray, no you said: talk to your higher self. But I prayed to any LOVING more highly evolved beeing, to the Creator force that loves me.. And indeed. Today I was so still in my body, so close to myself. Very cautious though.. Not at ease but much more at ease than the passed days. Not sorry for the long message :) THANK you so very much for making these videos. Your words and tips are giving me hope that I can handle this one better. Hopefully someone like you will pop up in my life a little closer by that I could visit. But until then this already is a great blessing. THANK YOU!
Wonderful! I have another video called automatic Kriyas that you might like to watch as well. That's what you are experiencing which is a part of Kundalini, and yes it's just an integration with your subconscious and you don't need to be afraid of it at all. And while you cannot put the genie back in the bottle, you can certainly create a partnership with the genie. 😉🙏
@@ForrestKnutson Thank you very much for your reply. It's appreciated! I will have a look at that video "automatic Kriyas". :) Looks like I'm going to be praying a LOT the coming time. And that's great. May you have a wonderful day!
Thanks for this . As a meditation teacher of some 15 years u just convinced to change my teaching in ten minutes! One thing I’d say is that most of my clients are Japanese and they seem to go deep easily even absolute beginners . Perhaps there some cultural aspect here. The average stress levels are high here I’m sure but they seem to be able switch off easily. I also have quite some American online clients who don’t respond so quickly. Very interesting. Btw I don’t see the app you mentioned. So much gratitude for your simple yet profound offerings.
In love with this info Forrest. Another guru mentioned that following the breath alone won't work but he never said why. This has been bothering for months now until this video. Talk about asking the universe for answers right!!
wow! - i have been doing this breath and find that it is quite effective - i also notice that it's easy to fall out of it. When i hear you talking about this - what has happened over time, now i'm not surprised at all.
One important thing I've never heard you about, but what made a huge difference for me was stopping mouth breathing and starting nose breathing. Also at night a 3M micropore band aid over my mouth. It calmed me down so much and your breath rate is coming down automatically.
Excuse me, but I think you are incorrect here. I googled the study from 1929 (can't post links here) and found the fourth part (IV. VITAL CAPACITY, RESPIRATORY RATE AND VOLUME, AND COMPOSITION OF THE EXPIRED AIR) and there is a table that shows that normal respiration of the test subjects were 14-15 bpm. To have a better picture, could you please link the other studies you were mentioning?
An FYI some might find interesting. I’m 78, survived four cancers (so far), a heart attack, heart arrhythmia (AFib), have a pacemaker and a mediport with a catheter to the heart (for chemo). Prior to all that fun I was trained in biofeedback and worked as a mental health professional for twenty-plus years prior to retirement (and only intermittently practiced what I preached, biofeedback-wise). I credit my medical history to poor diet (and stress) and my still being alive by being an inveterate exerciser. Balance, as they say (I changed my diet about fifteen years ago). Today, I sit for thirty minutes each morning on a Japanese-style meditation bench, and cushion, and practice diaphragmatic (deep) breathing, around 4 to 5 breaths per minute. But here’s what’s interesting: my authoritarian pacemaker will not allow me to lower my heart rate below sixty bpm -- although this doesn’t seem to matter because my hands, often cool, and sometimes even ice cold during the winter months, still become engorged with blood, toasty warm, tingly, and any sense of stress is reduced by half, minimum. I say all this to encourage anyone and everyone to incorporate Forrest’s approach to stress reduction. It can definitely “lower the idle” at which our brain engines often run. And concerning mindfulness (being present, neither too far ahead nor behind our skies), I found a useful reminder in S. Suzuki’s Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind: “practice even when you’re not.” By such, the “very now,” the continuing present we all too often and cavalierly squeeze small, will (dare I say it?) B R E A T H.
Extraordinary Roger!!! I love this testimony! I'm so glad your pacemaker allows enough flexibility that you're able to use that breath rate and get the proof in your hands and more importantly the proof of peace that you feel. Really extraordinary!! I know of at least one Yogi who will find this extremely encouraging and no doubt many many more.
@@ForrestKnutson Thanks so much. Your site is a breath of fresh air (no pun intended). There's so much voodoo out there (often well-intended), yours so straightforward and pragmatic.
I think that as you breath if you are conscious of the heart rate decrease in pulsation this is the key point. Because when your heart slows then the non thought process becomes negligible and even you can relax on a deep level 🙏❤️🙏
Hi Forrest, I really like the research you've done here. I have not seen the studies that you refer to but would like to. Might you direct me to them? Best regards, Stephen Elliott, President & Life Scientist, Coherent Breathing.
Thanks for sharing this video, i love the history you share. Maybe you have heard off the Buteyko method. A lung specialist found this method and also advocates for reducing the breath. They also practice on reducing the breath. Here they do a test for how long one can hold the breath, after an outbreath. The IN-breath after the holding of the breath, needs to be relaxed and easy, not like gasping for air. One has a healthy fysiologie, if one can hold the breath between 40 tot 60 seconds. If less than that, one has hyperventilation like problems (wich is most of the population now aday's.) He explains the problem is one loses too much CO2 in breathing to deep and too frequent. CO2 is necessary for transportation of O2 to the organs. The inner transportation of O2 via CO2 is what's needed. Practicing reducing the breath, is the thing to do. If one has a clogged up nose, one needs to hold the breath several seconds and practice reduce breathing and the nose wil open. This is the system that doesn't want to loose too much CO2, so it clogs up, to prevent from loosing more CO2. If you stop breathing, than the inner breath transport CO2 and helping O2 to the organs can now take place and, the nose de-blocks, because it has had enough 'inner breath'. Practicing reducing breath is good aspecially after waking up and going to bed, for one breaths a lot with open mouth in the night, and one loses lots of CO2). This is why people can have hyperventilation in the middel of the night or a clogged up nose. Just practice reduced breathing before going to bed. And ofcourse eat foods that help de-clogging (like fruit, vegetables etc. - 'Mucusless Diet' is interesting in this and 'Medical Medium'. But also bone broth's and Livercod oils are really good for healing the gut and nervous system aswell as B12 and D3 etc. Also when one practices reducing the breath and holding the breath and if one comes past 20 seconds or 40 seconds of being able to hold the breath, one can even have detox reaction's, spontanous cleansing of the system (you could have running nose, fever like symptoms, etc.), wich is a good sign really for one is cleaning. Buteyko is nice to study some, next to the Heart Rate Variability (wich is great aswell). Nothing but thumbs up and many thanks for you Forrest.
That's perfect Erica, and Breath Reduction is exactly what I teach. I have a video on what's Happening inside of the nose as we enter into HRV and deeper states of reduced breathing called The 5 Breath States. Great recommendations Erica!
Really interesting position and observations. I was aware of breath rate reduction through Yogananda. And I know HeartMath. But I never connected breath rate to HRV for whatever reason. I'll try this.
Great information, l didn’t realise we had increased our breath rates! I found myself waking up last night with a more rapid breath and no pause after exhale, because l had blocked sinuses again and it took a lot of work to get back to sleep trying to slow my breath down. Interesting our subconscious is the stressed one, l must be more aware during my conscious hours
I am a former freediver, a professional handyman, and I’ve had a fair amount of Buddhist meditation instruction. My breath rate averages @4.2 breaths per minute.
forest… do you offer instruction / guidance via video chat ? if so, i would like to know the price for that, how to contact you to possibly do that at least once a month. i have many questions, and experiences i would like to share, get your feedback, and ensure i maintain a proper trajectory while on this path. thank you - charles
Wonderful material here!. Are there links to the research on how respiratory rates have changed over time in humans? Would love to read more about that. Fascinating!
You mentioned consumption of carbs being one of the causes. As we know in a state of ketosis oxygen efficiency is twice as high meaning you can hold your breath twice as long in my experience. I have often thought there was a connection between ketosis and meditative states
Absolutely. I've been gluten free for 15 years now. Keep sugar under 26 grams a day, and you have ketosis. The body and brain run way more efficiently on oil than they do on sugars. Thank you for your math on breathing twice as long in ketosis! That's fantastic!
@@ForrestKnutson I noticed a more meat based diet helps me as well. I am actually much calmer on it. However, why do all Yogic teachings advocate vegetarianism? Or is this false information being meted out by modern teachers?
@@ron6107 when we fast, or eat just a little fruit each day, then the body has a chance to take a break and recover. That's what they're recommending. Too much fruit will put the body to only process sugar and reserve it's fats. So, there's a right way and a wrong way to do everything. ;)
@@ForrestKnutson Are you saying they recommend you survive on a few calories coming off from that fruit alone as they dont recommend meat either. So you dont eat much is what I understand.
Thank you very much, I discovered the channel yesterday and I feel very grateful for it happening. 🐞Just wanted to check if 2.4 is an actual version of My Calm Beat or is there an updated version?
🙏🏽 Forrest, as always another informative and helpful video for all of us. On a related topic, since you commented here about a gluten free diet, please do share a video on an ideal diet for those doing kriya. Thanks and regards.
So the idea is to deepen the breath as much as possible throughout the day, given you have the energy and remembrance? Until the breath naturally deepens to 4-7 in daily life without having to try? Also in meditation, for an hour sit, do u recommend hrv breathing the whole time? Or just the first 30 min and then let breath be natural to reach deeper state?
@@ForrestKnutsonThanks Forrest! Excited to learn this. I have a question, the tradition of meditation I practice requires to observe the natural breath's sensation of a targeted area in the nostril. Natural is key because we're taking reality as it is and not trying to change it in order to develop equanimity. I was wondering, any tips to naturally have a slower breath? Thank you:)
@@andrewsolis4878 that's great! As an experiment why don't you download the resonant breathing app and find the rate which is comfortable for you, try it for five or 10 minutes where you are following the breath pattern and controlling your breath. Use the fade function and then go into a session after that where you do not control the breath at all. Try this little pattern of control and then no control and see what happens as an experiment.
@@ForrestKnutson At its best, we are no longer conscious of the body and its 5 senses. Residing in consciousness and aware of the quick passing of time only after coming out of meditation. We follow the Thailand forest meditation tradition which focus on meditation. Cheers.
That's great Aiste! You know, I was just recording another video, and I had to pause several times as I started going into trance automatically as I demonstrated the breath. 😂
Thank you for this wonderful video and its explanations. Wouldnt it be wonderful if we could turn back time and would naturally breath only 5-6 times per minute? Without effort, without an app, without willingly slowing the breath down. So how could we achieve that? Beside the effects of diet, that where mentioned in previous comments, what else can we do? More sport, more outdoor activities? I think those doing IronMan, or professional cyclists, they all have these low breath rates and low heart rates. Then there are the trainings of apnoe-divers, which increase the co2-tolerance. If my goal was to breath all day long like my ancestors, what would you recommend beside HRV breathing? Thank you so much for sharing with, inspiring and guiding your audience!
Forrest Knutson thank you! That training will be my reward to myself, when I catch up with your latest videos. I am tempted to just watch one after the other. But they contain much to much knowledge... so I have to enjoy and digest them at a slower rate. At the moment am 4-5 months behind your latest video, so hopefully in summer I ll be there. Cant wait for Sunday, when I will watch your next video 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Hey Forrest, is it okay if I do OM Japa in each chakra while laying down flat occasionally? I ask because sometimes my back begins hurting after like 15 minutes of practice, which makes it more difficult to concentrate. I keep a cushion behind my lower back and sit in half-lotus, but still sometimes it hurts regardless. Thank you so much!
Hi Saif! I went through a huge trial of lower back trouble for years, so I understand. That's why I wedge a large pillow below the ribcage. ... Yes, it's okay to do it laying down occasionally. Try to make sitting up the primary practice as you can.
@@ForrestKnutson Thanks Forrest! I'm sorry to hear that, hope its better now. I'll try doing what you recommend. I will mostly do it sitting upright, but I was thinking for more longer sessions I could lay down. I have been doing a few 15 min sessions of HRV + OM Japa in each chakra per day and it's totally changing my life. I can't even believe it, honestly. I will update you on my progress as I continue practice.
Thank you for the awesome video, it would be greatfull if you make the video about your meditation schedule like how do you start and end what are technique you follow in your the meditation this would be great full for everyone
Thank you Riaz! Okay I will do that. It's going on my list right now. I have a Playlist called Meditative Progression. You might like that in the meantime.
Fascinating as always Forrest! Always find my breathing is hot and miss, as my nasal sinuses get blocked a lot, which affects the breathing, or makes me breathe through my mouth, even when I dont realise it. But practice makes perfect!
I've had many allergies, so I totally understand. When I went gluten-free, I found most of my allergies evaporated. Even breathing through the mouth you can lower the breath rate, and so make them more consistent. You're doing fantastic!
I feel this is true, and reflecting back can see that is was an unintentional progression in my own mediation practice. But I do see value for absolute beginners taking step one on day one, of not even knowing about this. But rather just being aware of their breath no matter what its rate. . . . an uncomplicated beginning for them. They can, and often are, guided toward slower breaths ( w/o thinking about it ) by the leader or App who may say something like ‘ take deep slow breaths, focusing only on each breath - being aware of the act of breathing only and not focusing on anything else . . . letting your exhalation be slower and longer. ‘ Let the beginner find their own meditation. But I do see value in Forrest’s topic, once one is established - One may ask, what is happening?, how does this work? can I meditate more effectively? I’m rambling a bit, but suffice to say, I like the message but would not over burden beginners with this topic.
Hi Forrest, is a 5 seconds in breath and an 8 seconds out breath ok to use as a breathing ratio? It's about 4.6 breaths per minute. Or should the in and out breaths be in closer range?
That sounds great, try it out for awhile, and see how you like it. You can always vary it later. Generally I recommend they be about 1 second apart, but that is only a general advice.
Thank you again. 1. Can you help me understand how to count a breath? Is it one inhale plus one exhale? 2. When I inhale, I sometimes find myself doing throat breathing, my throat tightens . Trying to avoid that don’t know how .. 3. Do you recommend shamanic breathing ? 4. How is pulse count (72 ) related to breath rate? Can pulse rate be controlled by lowering the breath rate? Thanks again. I’m a new subscriber to your channel. Yet to finish watching your other videos. 🙏🙏🙏
Great questions! 4 seconds in, 5 seconds out will give you seven breaths a minute. 5 seconds in 6 seconds out. 6 seconds in and 7 seconds out. Try those breaths and see which fits well for you.... Yes, this will automatically lower your heart rate.
As you control the breath, the throat may constrict in order to give you that control. That's okay. Just try and do it in a relaxed manner. ... If you describe Shamanic breathing I can see. ... Welcome aboard! Glad to have you!
Forrest Knutson I love your videos. I respect your sincerity in responding to the viewers comments and questions. I watched about Shamanic breathing in the UA-cam. It’s nothing to do with meditation . Inhalation and exhalations are done continuously with the mouth open. It’s completely different and is used to flush emotions
@@Positive742 ah, I see. Like Judith Kravits breathing. Basically a continuous Purging Breath. I think it's great, and the emotional release is very good. I wouldn't ever use a Purging Breath or a Mouth Breath for too long, as it isn't good for the body if done too often.
Hey Forrest, do you think it's a good idea to have some headphones in linked to a breathing app at less than 7 breaths per minute as we go about our day for more hrv breathing. Or is it better to just practice hrv breathing at set times?
@@flynnk70 thank you! I'm working on it now. Until then I recommend Counting the seconds of the breath, for example 4 seconds in and 5 Seconds out. Or 5 seconds in 6 seconds out. Or 6 seconds in and 7 Seconds out. Try that until you feel comfortable with the Rhythm.
Hi F., I'm trying ur technique of 5BPM. But as I find, my breathing pattern for the [5BPM] time naturally puts a pause between inhale and exhale. Do I try to ignore this attempt at pausing, so that when I finish my inhalation, I immediately exhale? Many thanks, BW,M.
@@ForrestKnutson Hi F., Appologies for late rply. My life's a wee bit busy and challenging at t mo. Many thanks for ur advice and vids, good that u've postd different BPM breathing patterns. Bw,m.
I think by subscribe your chnl will be a special thing for me coz i started reading about these things 8 months back and your information is amazing..and will like to hear the story of 5 years...
Hi Forrest. First, Thanks for all insights you share. Been digging in this yoga jungle for long now before finding some up to date interpretations of facts which you just pour out :) have a wondering thought concerning this topic with moving towards meditation and heart rate variability. When doing Asana practice you try to reach pratyahara or withdraw of senses be focus on breath, reducing breath rate and introducing a overall observation of experience. Would this from your perspective be similar effect towards the parasympathetic nerve systems as sitting in meditation or would it be big difference. Of course meditation is a different step in the eight folded path so all has its place. But I’m still interested in the different between this two parts of practicing. Another thing. I’m from Sweden and not sure on how a good connection with the Kriya lineage of Lahiri Mahashay could be done. Are not really glad in big organizations when trying to find information concerning spiritual knowledge...big thanks for this knowledge spreading one more time //Henrik
Henrik, that's a fantastic question. One of the excellent thing about so much stretching is the muscle fibers elongate, telling the brain that relaxation (and even floating or falling) have already happened. While doing all of that, keeping the breath rate down, getting into HRV, being in observation or expansion, you are in the perfect place. Once you stop moving, you can enter into the Freeze Response, and lose sight of the body. So there's the bridge between the 2. In stillness we can enter Freeze, and lose the body. ... I teach the original kriya myself, but I might be a bit far for you in Long Beach CA. The differences between the original and what is offered today are quite large when you put the package together.
Forrest...yes...sounds about right and tested it this morning. Placed my self in meditation this morning after ordinary yoga session as I use to do. This time I realized that your signs of heaviness in hands came after about 5 rounds of breathing as well as distance from psychical body sensation. Felt quite fast but then again the asana practice was about an hour with closed eyes, breath pattern of 4 inhale and 8 exhale and 5 minutes in sirsasana. So 1 hour with about 4-5 breaths/ min and then meditation. So thanks for giving me a understanding of the function of the practice in the body. Years ago I meet a teacher who gave me three good learnings...one was the essence of practice with ahimsa and the logic of yamas (for real, not just saying), second was to not just believe in “gurus” but to seek in old literature and evaluate with in faith, but not foolish faith. Third he did Khecharimudra (but with a cut fresnel) and when you showed how to do it in one of your movies I tried and because of been doing tongue stretching before and practice in some poses with tongues placed backwards I managed Khechari in about 10 days. Very special experience. But having some question about this and you are really the only one discussing this fully and I have no contact with my teacher. When placing the tongue upward, is it fully up toward the soft tissue before the brain or is it forward, about where the nasal opening are and with the help of the pallet in the mouth squeezing it upward toward the brain membrane? I can’t reach fully upwards so this is why I’m asking and do you do Khechari in Kumbhaka? Since I can’t breathe in this upward direction this is a question for me. Just putting the tongue in the cavity and feel the coldness of the breath is very soothing almost like Sitkali Pranayam. So during some meditation sittings I might place it there and it really calms me and makes breathing more deep. Wished you where a bit closer, not many do yoga in this way as I know of and there goals are more of a psychological direction, where I would love to get deeper in to the understanding of sensations and disillusion of mind. Do you think that Purana Purusa would give knowledge to experience Kriya by one self or is it needed a teacher to find right techniques. Sorry for all the questions. Wish you all the best. With regards. Henrik
@@henriksoderling7755 there are two places to place the tongue. One is where you are suggesting. This is the ethmoid sinus. Moving at back and forth to either sinus on the left and the right is very balancing. This is an internal alternate nostril breathing technique. The other point, the one I talked about in my videos, is the sphenoid sinus. If you look in the community center on this channel you will find a picture of these two sinuses. Both points are useful. The actual resting point though is the sphenoid sinus.
@@henriksoderling7755 you need to play around with it and how to breathe same time. Just keep moving your tongue slightly until you find a way to breathe while it's there.
@@henriksoderling7755 I definitely think a guide is necessary. I'm working on a number of trainings that show the fundamental processes which I necessary in order to reach deep States. That may show you a lot of what you're looking for. Or you could come and visit me for initiation.
Dear forrest, as you know Yogani can you tell me in all sincerity what do you think about his method please .. he works for example with a mantra, I do not know if I have to continue with that .. I can do 5 breaths per minute but I have to concentrate to continue because otherwise I could sometimes stay without breath at all. can you please specify me? thanking you a thousand times for your generosity and the quality of your videos
Hi Sylvie! If the breath is dipping down into the Tranquil breath, where it begins to disappear, allow it to do that after a few minutes of HRV breathing. Let it go into the Tranquil Breath, and only concentrate on the spiritual eye. While you are there, expand your peripheral vision, boundlessly. ... I am big on OM Japa, which you might know. That's the mantra I use. But, if you are getting into the Tranquil Breath, then all you need to do is what I 1st described to you here. Well done!
@@ForrestKnutson dear Forrest, so I try the om japa and it seems very powerful but as I am conditioned with the mantra IAM I often confuse and I mix so it takes a little time for it to become a habit. But I wanted to ask you another question I almost always see the circle of light sometimes even a small star but just a second for example when the circle appears in front of me it remains a second and slides either to the left or to the right. So is there a trick so that it remains in front and that I can contemplate ? thank you very much for your answer. Have a good day ! 🥰🥰
@@sylvieronco756 it's stability is connected to holding the eyes in place in shambhavi mudra. Yogis would even hold the eyes physically in place to help practice this. You might like to see my video on the OM technique. It's far down the video list. A little of that practice might help to stabilize things. ... the next thing is to adopt an expansive Viewpoint. So that when you see it you don't try and follow it, with your eyes, but rather stare at it in a spacious way.
Thank you and Davi I wrote hacking the universe about 10 years ago and I'm working on a second book now. You can see it forming on patreon if you'd like to see some snippets. 🤩
@@ForrestKnutson yeah I saw some positive reviews and just bought it, looking forward to take a look. btw I did my first experiment on lowering the breathing and wow haha, really worked. I felt my hands sweating instead of just hot, I would normally take 20 minutes to be able to go into deep meditation before. Just had to deal with this "oh my gosh I need air" initial sensation. Thanks for the great work!
@@davirtavares fantastic! Remember to make it comfortable for yourself because that's what's going to give you the optimal rate. Then you can slowly stretch that. Well done!
Breath is only a popular object because of its high availability. Deep meditation does not depend on how many breaths we take in each minute, but rather the quality of continuous mindfulness on the chosen object which is somewhat arbitrary. Relaxation to meditation is like stretching to working out - it's supports the work we want to do, but itself is not the work.
The nervous system and the breadth are designed to be very flexible. So when we go for a walk we don't want to constrain ourselves so much that we get uncomfortable. So great practice is just take some deep breaths and feel the nice fresh air inside the nose and lungs, and breathe out nice long easy breaths. Just make the out-breath longer than what you would usually do. This way you are training yourself for longer breaths in everyday life. 😊
@@ForrestKnutson , Thank you for your reply. Do you think HRV breathing is like a gentler form of Wim Hof breathing? Is it true that both methods activate the parasympathetic nervous system and the vagal nerve?
@@mikebell4435 no not really. It's a Hyperventilation Breath which will cause vasodilation. A little is okay, but it's not good as a main practice. HRV Works more steadily on the DVN. Work that Hyperventilation just can't offer.
Hi again Forrest! As always, I keep reading about everything spiritual related in order to learn more and get a better picture of life and spirituality. What do you think about this quote from the famous Vivekananda? It's different from what Lahiri Mahasaya said. I'm not saying one of them is wrong, but there seems to be many different ways of a spiritual uplifting life. Personally I think it's unrealistic for most men to become like Vivekananda, but it seems like it's possible at least......I have no idea how he did it, but I don't think he is lying. He lived a remarkable life that is beyond the physical, definitely. "In my first speech in this country, in Chicago, I addressed that audience as 'Sisters and Brothers of America', and you know that they all rose to their feet. You may wonder what made them do this, you may wonder if I had some strange power. Let me tell you that I did have a power and this is it - never once in my life did I allow myself to have even one sexual thought. I trained my mind, my thinking, and the powers that man usually uses along that line I put into a higher channel, and it developed a force so strong that nothing could resist it."
It's your energy supply. So, if you save it up, it will of course fuel the rest of your life. Even Lady Gaga talks about this as an entertainer. ... And there is a downside. It will lead to mental imbalance, as the human body, and every living organism, has been programmed with the reproductive instinct for millennium. So, you are attempting to vanquish an opponent which is literally much bigger than yourself. ... For this reason he recommended balance. Not too much and not too little. A very refreshing and honest account, if ever I did see one.
@@ForrestKnutson Yeah I think balance is the right approach in life, to everything. Yin and Yang. But, there seems to be people who have managed to become enlightened without having a wife or sex regularly. I can just applaud those people since they are certainly stronger than me, mentally. Sadhguru seems to be one of them as well, although he had a wife before that died. I don't think he is the type to have sex with his students though.....he seems genuine.
I tried out the app and guess I never realized just how slow I really breathe. It only goes to 4.5 bpm which seemed faster than I thought it would be. I'm somewhere around 2 breathes per minute during my Kriya. I put your other tips into practice today and started to notice your beginning symptoms of pratyahara, very awesome. I tried to email you from the email listed on Ashok's site about learning the Bhattacharya lineage but no response yet. Is there a better email?
Hi there! I just responded to a number of emails. Maybe one was yours? If not, please try me again at thatyogiguy@gmail.com ... I'm so happy to hear of your success! Yes, the app is limited, but still a good guide to give you the idea. Thank you for writing!
@@georgekelly5987 there's a bunch of types of pranayama. Pranayama basically just means breath control. Can't really say which one to try, best bet is finding a teacher
Forrest Hey! I'm starting to Hong Sau again, but I wonder how do you pronounce the Sau in your mind and is that rly important? Like sawww or saaa? And Hong Sau better than focus on breath us say?
Hi Mert! I pronounce it the 2nd way, but it's not what is driving the technique. The driving force is the lowering of the breath rate. ;) And the real sound is exactly the sound of your breath.
@@ForrestKnutson Forrest I understand what you mean exactly, I remember when I used the technique deeply back then, I remember cessation of breath. Forest when I get accusstomed to lowered breath rate with increased meditation practice, this means lowering of anxiety with HUGE amounts and increase of peace and confidence in long term? Because lowered breath rate=strong nervous system I believe? I also wonder if I will go through phases with Hong Sau meditation technique, like feeling anxious, feeling depressed, then feeling overly emotional some days etc.? What is ur opinion?
Yes, working with the breath definitely increases vagal response and strengthens the system. ... It is possible that buried emotional content may come to the surface as we integrate with the Unconscious Mind, however the overall effect of breathwork should always be calming.
@@mertefe4345 exactly. When stuff comes up in life, sometimes we can't deal with it in the moment and so our subconscious allows us to store it later in the hopes that we will unravel the story when we have more time. So that old content being held in the nervous system will affect us long-term. So when these things come up if we can process them and let go of the negative emotions oh, then it is extremely liberating and healing for the psyche and the nervous system.
Wow. This is a paradigm shift. Thank you so much. Do you think some people have breathing that naturally chronically increases with activity, due to stressful events that have taken place in their life? In other words, the trauma stored in their body “nudges” their breath to a chronic increased rate as activity accumulates?
There are experiences where the yogi will develop a divine scent. He will spontaneously smell roses or some other scent. During the Big Bliss video, I think I have my friend on record as experiencing this during the process of the Roll-up.
Controlling your breath, or thinking you have control over it, is it a good technic ? I thought we should let go and stop to try controlling everything in our life.
It's a great technique, because we all have breath rates that are too high for deep progress. Control leads to no control. This is what I teach in the 4th Phase of Breath Training.
FK, from past few days in my deep meditation, I hear some sort of hissing sound, when I researched I found it to be tinnitus. During meditation it increases and persistent even after I come out of meditation. Now, i am getting distributed even during my normal state. Do you have any suggestion or kriya to stop this sound.
Tinnitus is caused by a deficiency of calcium. It's not tinnitus. You are introcepting the internal sounds of your own nervous system. To get it to stop, rub your face vigorously, and concentrate on normal worldly matters. That's actually a very good practice, to be able to go into, and then out of deep states.
@@ForrestKnutson thank you for your suggestion. I am sure I dont have calcium deficiency. Let me try rubbing my face when I start heading the sound again.
@@manjunathgangadharg7392 wonderful! Let me know how it works for you. Hearing the sounds is a very good thing. It's a product of your own deep introception, and will eventually turn into the deep resonating sound of the OM.
@@mikepaquette1245 you have to pick the one which is most comfortable for you and that is what it's going to give you the greatest success and the greatest raids of resonance between the heart and the breath 😉🙏
If you're staying in HRV, with Hands Hot and Heavy, then it's okay. If you've seen the Clinical Mindfulness video with the 4 Proofs. Those 4 Proofs are your guide.
Forrest, how long do you find the hrv lasts for? Lets say that you take your 5 or 10 minutes to get into hrv and then you go about your day with no stress. How long will it generally last? Is it as soon as the breath goes over 7 breaths per minute? Thank you for any further clarification.
As you continue with it, your normal rate of breath will decrease. Then the benefits become permanent. I used to practice going into it 20 times a day in little breaks and long practice. Some doctors say that with 10 minutes twice a day we receive sustained benefits enough to make a difference. Less than that and we don't get the sustained benefits.
@@mikebell4435 it was only on my brakes at the time so I would sneak it in for like 5 minutes. And when I had a real break I'd take the whole 10 or 15 minute break practicing HRV. So anywhere from five to 15 minutes.
My exact same question I'm afraid sometimes when I meditate if when I slowly exhale and then stop for a moment without forcing it whether my brain could run out of oxygen even though I have never felt dizzy or faint at all. It scares me to notice how that pause sometimes gets longer.
I think a very important factor here is obesity crisis. Netflix and more job stress I think has significantly less effect on breathing than gaining an weight. Wasn't the average weight of full grown american men in 1920 like 150?
I don't believe it. Maybe in some cases such as combination of obesity, smoking habits and stationary lifestyle. Not a majority. But large part of population
Such a great idea to go back 100 years and compare breaths per minute! Thanks for the perspective.
You are so welcome!
Amazing. Can't believe this is so simple. I had a problem with cold hands for past 5 years or more. Fixed in 5 minutes.
I have got to say I love the way you piece this subject together with hardcore science. I think you are at the true cutting edge of meditation and science and you're heart rate variability meditation style has been a boon to my practice. I also enjoyed and use your straight to the point body/mind chi exercise of the three emperor's / lahiri's three knots. Thank you!😁
Jidun! Thank you so much! I'm so glad you taking it to heart! Literally! ... And the somatic exercise! Fantastic! That riddle unlocks a lot of what kundalini experience really is.
All the years I’ve practiced meditation, never knew that normal breath rates were less than 1/3-1/2 of what’s considered normal medically today!
Thx a million, you’re doing a priceless service to human kind!!!
Geez what good fortune to have found your channel tonight.. Down to earth tips that could help.. That ARE helping haha.. I was starting to develop a state of panic as my body has started moving on its own during meditation just a week or so ago and I was searching for what was going on online and found all these dramatic videos of people going through hell.. Geez Louise. I've already been through enough hell imo 4 years ago during psychosis which I have really not landed from yet.. And I never will see/ experience things as before in several instances. In most ways I'm just deeply grateful for the experience.. Like in the area of what is memory, time, dimensions what is "reality".. Looking back this energy was from time to time already at work then as I was being danced across my Livingroom floor laying down for example. Which was a beautiful experience.. It's just that I could handle it as my whole state of consciousness was altered at the time.
But some of the psychotic episodes I don't ever want to go through again.. So when my body started moving it really scared me.. Even though it was also soothing and not all that wild.. I mean I started meditating BECAUSE I want to remain in the NOW. To tame this mind and decrease the chance of loosing grip again so, when my body started moving and leaving me no doubt that it was energy moving without my conscious effort, I felt like: uh oh.. Now what??
.. I know the Universe is SO powerful as to what it can have you experience, that, yes, it does scare me at times to the point "I'm just hanging in there". I do know very well what it's like to have nothing to hold on to.. No frame of reference anymore. I'm still shook from that episode 4 years ago even though the vast majority of it was full of humor and friendly in nature. It was mostly really hard on my family because they just saw me change and I could not be reached at all.. I do not ever want them to go through that again..
I prayed a lot last night, very intensely to please slow it down, to please have love and mercy on me and let me just be a loving beeing, that's still able to function and not land in a psych ward.. To not let my family be in such distress as they were 4 years ago when they could not get me help..
Another video by you that I just watched basically gave that same advise, to pray, no you said: talk to your higher self. But I prayed to any LOVING more highly evolved beeing, to the Creator force that loves me.. And indeed. Today I was so still in my body, so close to myself. Very cautious though.. Not at ease but much more at ease than the passed days.
Not sorry for the long message :) THANK you so very much for making these videos. Your words and tips are giving me hope that I can handle this one better. Hopefully someone like you will pop up in my life a little closer by that I could visit. But until then this already is a great blessing. THANK YOU!
Wonderful! I have another video called automatic Kriyas that you might like to watch as well. That's what you are experiencing which is a part of Kundalini, and yes it's just an integration with your subconscious and you don't need to be afraid of it at all. And while you cannot put the genie back in the bottle, you can certainly create a partnership with the genie. 😉🙏
@@ForrestKnutson Thank you very much for your reply. It's appreciated! I will have a look at that video "automatic Kriyas". :) Looks like I'm going to be praying a LOT the coming time. And that's great. May you have a wonderful day!
Thanks for this . As a meditation teacher of some 15 years u just convinced to change my teaching in ten minutes! One thing I’d say is that most of my clients are Japanese and they seem to go deep easily even absolute beginners . Perhaps there some cultural aspect here. The average stress levels are high here I’m sure but they seem to be able switch off easily. I also have quite some American online clients who don’t respond so quickly. Very interesting. Btw I don’t see the app you mentioned.
So much gratitude for your simple yet profound offerings.
In love with this info Forrest. Another guru mentioned that following the breath alone won't work but he never said why. This has been bothering for months now until this video. Talk about asking the universe for answers right!!
That's perfect!
wow! - i have been doing this breath and find that it is quite effective - i also notice that it's easy to fall out of it. When i hear you talking about this - what has happened over time, now i'm not surprised at all.
You are brilliant, kind, and generous. Thank you kindly for this video.
Awe, thank you 🙏 Blissings!
One important thing I've never heard you about, but what made a huge difference for me was stopping mouth breathing and starting nose breathing. Also at night a 3M micropore band aid over my mouth. It calmed me down so much and your breath rate is coming down automatically.
Yes! A nasal breath is extremely important.
Delighted this video came back into my feed so I could rewatch it ~ wonderful !
Excuse me, but I think you are incorrect here. I googled the study from 1929 (can't post links here) and found the fourth part (IV. VITAL CAPACITY, RESPIRATORY RATE AND VOLUME, AND COMPOSITION OF THE EXPIRED AIR) and there is a table that shows that normal respiration of the test subjects were 14-15 bpm.
To have a better picture, could you please link the other studies you were mentioning?
An FYI some might find interesting. I’m 78, survived four cancers (so far), a heart attack, heart arrhythmia (AFib), have a pacemaker and a mediport with a catheter to the heart (for chemo). Prior to all that fun I was trained in biofeedback and worked as a mental health professional for twenty-plus years prior to retirement (and only intermittently practiced what I preached, biofeedback-wise). I credit my medical history to poor diet (and stress) and my still being alive by being an inveterate exerciser. Balance, as they say (I changed my diet about fifteen years ago).
Today, I sit for thirty minutes each morning on a Japanese-style meditation bench, and cushion, and practice diaphragmatic (deep) breathing, around 4 to 5 breaths per minute. But here’s what’s interesting: my authoritarian pacemaker will not allow me to lower my heart rate below sixty bpm -- although this doesn’t seem to matter because my hands, often cool, and sometimes even ice cold during the winter months, still become engorged with blood, toasty warm, tingly, and any sense of stress is reduced by half, minimum.
I say all this to encourage anyone and everyone to incorporate Forrest’s approach to stress reduction. It can definitely “lower the idle” at which our brain engines often run. And concerning mindfulness (being present, neither too far ahead nor behind our skies), I found a useful reminder in S. Suzuki’s Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind: “practice even when you’re not.” By such, the “very now,” the continuing present we all too often and cavalierly squeeze small, will (dare I say it?) B R E A T H.
Extraordinary Roger!!! I love this testimony! I'm so glad your pacemaker allows enough flexibility that you're able to use that breath rate and get the proof in your hands and more importantly the proof of peace that you feel. Really extraordinary!! I know of at least one Yogi who will find this extremely encouraging and no doubt many many more.
@@ForrestKnutson Thanks so much. Your site is a breath of fresh air (no pun intended). There's so much voodoo out there (often well-intended), yours so straightforward and pragmatic.
@@rogertripp8131 "straightforward and pragmatic" music to my ears!
I think that as you breath if you are conscious of the heart rate decrease in pulsation this is the key point. Because when your heart slows then the non thought process becomes negligible and even you can relax on a deep level 🙏❤️🙏
That's great Rafael
Hi Forrest, I really like the research you've done here. I have not seen the studies that you refer to but would like to. Might you direct me to them? Best regards, Stephen Elliott, President & Life Scientist, Coherent Breathing.
Completely, totally brilliant. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this.
He mastered ujjayi pranayama - the respiratory rate dropped to 7-8 breaths per minute.
Thanks for sharing this video, i love the history you share. Maybe you have heard off the Buteyko method. A lung specialist found this method and also advocates for reducing the breath. They also practice on reducing the breath. Here they do a test for how long one can hold the breath, after an outbreath. The IN-breath after the holding of the breath, needs to be relaxed and easy, not like gasping for air. One has a healthy fysiologie, if one can hold the breath between 40 tot 60 seconds. If less than that, one has hyperventilation like problems (wich is most of the population now aday's.) He explains the problem is one loses too much CO2 in breathing to deep and too frequent. CO2 is necessary for transportation of O2 to the organs. The inner transportation of O2 via CO2 is what's needed. Practicing reducing the breath, is the thing to do. If one has a clogged up nose, one needs to hold the breath several seconds and practice reduce breathing and the nose wil open. This is the system that doesn't want to loose too much CO2, so it clogs up, to prevent from loosing more CO2. If you stop breathing, than the inner breath transport CO2 and helping O2 to the organs can now take place and, the nose de-blocks, because it has had enough 'inner breath'. Practicing reducing breath is good aspecially after waking up and going to bed, for one breaths a lot with open mouth in the night, and one loses lots of CO2). This is why people can have hyperventilation in the middel of the night or a clogged up nose. Just practice reduced breathing before going to bed. And ofcourse eat foods that help de-clogging (like fruit, vegetables etc. - 'Mucusless Diet' is interesting in this and 'Medical Medium'. But also bone broth's and Livercod oils are really good for healing the gut and nervous system aswell as B12 and D3 etc. Also when one practices reducing the breath and holding the breath and if one comes past 20 seconds or 40 seconds of being able to hold the breath, one can even have detox reaction's, spontanous cleansing of the system (you could have running nose, fever like symptoms, etc.), wich is a good sign really for one is cleaning. Buteyko is nice to study some, next to the Heart Rate Variability (wich is great aswell). Nothing but thumbs up and many thanks for you Forrest.
That's perfect Erica, and Breath Reduction is exactly what I teach. I have a video on what's Happening inside of the nose as we enter into HRV and deeper states of reduced breathing called The 5 Breath States. Great recommendations Erica!
Again, very good explanations about why HRV works and how to do it; and wow about the rise in average BPM! Who Knew!!
Thank you Miles!
these data are alarming. I remember first reading it in a book of and advocate of the buteyko method.
great content as usual Forrest! thank you :)
It really is, isn't it. It can be repaired with training, though. So that's the good news!
Namaste sir its so amazing . While i was meditating with HRV. Breathing my forhead chakra starts pulsating earlier i explained like throbbing feeling.
Perfect Vimala! That's the 1st knot of Lahiri Mahasaya. I have several videos on that.
You are one of the best, may be the best
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
Really interesting position and observations.
I was aware of breath rate reduction through Yogananda. And I know HeartMath. But I never connected breath rate to HRV for whatever reason. I'll try this.
I love hearing that!! Wonderful!!
Yeah! Love it! Thank you Forrest!
Fantastic Diane! Thank you!
This is an Amazing perspective. It just makes so much sense and will help me to go deeper. I like your videos but this knowledge is super
Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and knowledge, it has made a lot of difference to me!!! God bless you always!
This video is a gem !
Thank you Chinmay!
Great information, l didn’t realise we had increased our breath rates! I found myself waking up last night with a more rapid breath and no pause after exhale, because l had blocked sinuses again and it took a lot of work to get back to sleep trying to slow my breath down. Interesting our subconscious is the stressed one, l must be more aware during my conscious hours
I am a former freediver, a professional handyman, and I’ve had a fair amount of Buddhist meditation instruction. My breath rate averages @4.2 breaths per minute.
So fantastic! 🤩🙏
I couldn’t find that app for my iPhone.. what’s another alternative that does the same job?
Thanks for your video! Can you share the title of all cited papers ?
Fascinating. I appreciate your reference to the science. Thank you. My doctor prescribed resonance breathing.🌻
That's fantastic, Tara! You will love it.
forest… do you offer instruction / guidance via video chat ? if so, i would like to know the price for that, how to contact you to possibly do that at least once a month. i have many questions, and experiences i would like to share, get your feedback, and ensure i maintain a proper trajectory while on this path.
thank you - charles
Hi Charles, yes I do if you'd like to email me at thatyogiguy@gmail.com
I do alternate nostril breathing for 5mins before my meditation. It Works! :) I do TM.
That's great!
Wonderful material here!. Are there links to the research on how respiratory rates have changed over time in humans? Would love to read more about that. Fascinating!
You mentioned consumption of carbs being one of the causes. As we know in a state of ketosis oxygen efficiency is twice as high meaning you can hold your breath twice as long in my experience. I have often thought there was a connection between ketosis and meditative states
Absolutely. I've been gluten free for 15 years now. Keep sugar under 26 grams a day, and you have ketosis. The body and brain run way more efficiently on oil than they do on sugars. Thank you for your math on breathing twice as long in ketosis! That's fantastic!
@@ForrestKnutson I noticed a more meat based diet helps me as well. I am actually much calmer on it. However, why do all Yogic teachings advocate vegetarianism? Or is this false information being meted out by modern teachers?
@@ron6107 when we fast, or eat just a little fruit each day, then the body has a chance to take a break and recover. That's what they're recommending. Too much fruit will put the body to only process sugar and reserve it's fats. So, there's a right way and a wrong way to do everything. ;)
@@ForrestKnutson Are you saying they recommend you survive on a few calories coming off from that fruit alone as they dont recommend meat either. So you dont eat much is what I understand.
@@ron6107 that's how I see it. That's the way to make that diet work temporarily. Otherwise, a high starch and sugar diet will effect you negatively.
Thank you very much, I discovered the channel yesterday and I feel very grateful for it happening. 🐞Just wanted to check if 2.4 is an actual version of My Calm Beat or is there an updated version?
Wonderful! Welcome! Please go here to hear about the Breathing App I put out: ua-cam.com/video/jmvEbn9mBe4/v-deo.html
🙏🏽 Forrest, as always another informative and helpful video for all of us. On a related topic, since you commented here about a gluten free diet, please do share a video on an ideal diet for those doing kriya. Thanks and regards.
I get a lot of requests for this. I will definitely do that soon. Thank you!
Forrest, can you give a pointer to where I might find some of the historical respiratory rate information? Fascinating :)
So the idea is to deepen the breath as much as possible throughout the day, given you have the energy and remembrance? Until the breath naturally deepens to 4-7 in daily life without having to try?
Also in meditation, for an hour sit, do u recommend hrv breathing the whole time? Or just the first 30 min and then let breath be natural to reach deeper state?
Forrest is the link below for your app still available? I’m new to apps and don’t see your app. Thank you.
Check the link at the bottom of this video: ua-cam.com/video/jmvEbn9mBe4/v-deo.html
@@ForrestKnutsonThanks Forrest! Excited to learn this.
I have a question, the tradition of meditation I practice requires to observe the natural breath's sensation of a targeted area in the nostril. Natural is key because we're taking reality as it is and not trying to change it in order to develop equanimity. I was wondering, any tips to naturally have a slower breath? Thank you:)
@@andrewsolis4878 that's great! As an experiment why don't you download the resonant breathing app and find the rate which is comfortable for you, try it for five or 10 minutes where you are following the breath pattern and controlling your breath. Use the fade function and then go into a session after that where you do not control the breath at all. Try this little pattern of control and then no control and see what happens as an experiment.
@@ForrestKnutson Wow, what a great idea. Really appreciate the response my friend. Thank you
Thank you Forrest! This is some amazing technology. /Love
Vesper! I'm so glad you can see that!!
What is the app you recommend to assist the process please? 🙏
Our group experience is even when we started with many breaths per minute, our breaths always slow down as long as we pay sufficient attention to it.
That's wonderful. Not all groups are as lucky. So, are you getting the 4 Proofs of the parasympathetic being active?
@@ForrestKnutson
At its best, we are no longer conscious of the body and its 5 senses. Residing in consciousness and aware of the quick passing of time only after coming out of meditation. We follow the Thailand forest meditation tradition which focus on meditation. Cheers.
@@galaxymetta5974 that's excellent.
I went in to a meditative state while listening to U 💟
That's great Aiste! You know, I was just recording another video, and I had to pause several times as I started going into trance automatically as I demonstrated the breath. 😂
😄, I can not believe its so easy! ☯️
Every word is more than worth Gold, you are a guru however I am looking for Sri M the satsang foundation for my retreat. Have you been part of them ?
No I haven't been a part of them.
Thank you for this wonderful video and its explanations. Wouldnt it be wonderful if we could turn back time and would naturally breath only 5-6 times per minute? Without effort, without an app, without willingly slowing the breath down. So how could we achieve that?
Beside the effects of diet, that where mentioned in previous comments, what else can we do? More sport, more outdoor activities? I think those doing IronMan, or professional cyclists, they all have these low breath rates and low heart rates. Then there are the trainings of apnoe-divers, which increase the co2-tolerance. If my goal was to breath all day long like my ancestors, what would you recommend beside HRV breathing? Thank you so much for sharing with, inspiring and guiding your audience!
Fantastic! That's the way; you have it perfectly. I talk about all of this in the 4th Phase of Breath Training.
Forrest Knutson thank you! That training will be my reward to myself, when I catch up with your latest videos. I am tempted to just watch one after the other. But they contain much to much knowledge... so I have to enjoy and digest them at a slower rate. At the moment am 4-5 months behind your latest video, so hopefully in summer I ll be there. Cant wait for Sunday, when I will watch your next video 🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@supersonic2511978 wonderful! I understand! 😊😊
Hey Forrest, is it okay if I do OM Japa in each chakra while laying down flat occasionally? I ask because sometimes my back begins hurting after like 15 minutes of practice, which makes it more difficult to concentrate. I keep a cushion behind my lower back and sit in half-lotus, but still sometimes it hurts regardless. Thank you so much!
Hi Saif! I went through a huge trial of lower back trouble for years, so I understand. That's why I wedge a large pillow below the ribcage. ... Yes, it's okay to do it laying down occasionally. Try to make sitting up the primary practice as you can.
@@ForrestKnutson Thanks Forrest! I'm sorry to hear that, hope its better now. I'll try doing what you recommend. I will mostly do it sitting upright, but I was thinking for more longer sessions I could lay down. I have been doing a few 15 min sessions of HRV + OM Japa in each chakra per day and it's totally changing my life. I can't even believe it, honestly. I will update you on my progress as I continue practice.
@@SaiF290 the back pain was decades ago. That's glorious! What a wonderful transformation!
this was a very brilliant point.
Thank you!
Thank you for the awesome video, it would be greatfull if you make the video about your meditation schedule like how do you start and end what are technique you follow in your the meditation this would be great full for everyone
Thank you Riaz! Okay I will do that. It's going on my list right now. I have a Playlist called Meditative Progression. You might like that in the meantime.
This is really important.
Fascinating as always Forrest! Always find my breathing is hot and miss, as my nasal sinuses get blocked a lot, which affects the breathing, or makes me breathe through my mouth, even when I dont realise it. But practice makes perfect!
I've had many allergies, so I totally understand. When I went gluten-free, I found most of my allergies evaporated. Even breathing through the mouth you can lower the breath rate, and so make them more consistent. You're doing fantastic!
Thanks brother.
Ps thank you for the app link, it didn’t work in iPad but my new phone could handle it, it is brilliant! Thanks so much for this video ❤️❤️
I feel this is true, and reflecting back can see that is was an unintentional progression in my own mediation practice. But I do see value for absolute beginners taking step one on day one, of not even knowing about this. But rather just being aware of their breath no matter what its rate. . . . an uncomplicated beginning for them.
They can, and often are, guided toward slower breaths ( w/o thinking about it ) by the leader or App who may say something like ‘ take deep slow breaths, focusing only on each breath - being aware of the act of breathing only and not focusing on anything else . . . letting your exhalation be slower and longer. ‘ Let the beginner find their own meditation.
But I do see value in Forrest’s topic, once one is established - One may ask, what is happening?, how does this work? can I meditate more effectively?
I’m rambling a bit, but suffice to say, I like the message but would not over burden beginners with this topic.
A very good point.
Hi Forrest, is a 5 seconds in breath and an 8 seconds out breath ok to use as a breathing ratio? It's about 4.6 breaths per minute. Or should the in and out breaths be in closer range?
That sounds great, try it out for awhile, and see how you like it. You can always vary it later. Generally I recommend they be about 1 second apart, but that is only a general advice.
Could you post the name of the APP for breathing slower?
Eye opener.
Thank you again. 1. Can you help me understand how to count a breath? Is it one inhale plus one exhale?
2. When I inhale, I sometimes find myself doing throat breathing, my throat tightens . Trying to avoid that don’t know how
.. 3. Do you recommend shamanic breathing ? 4. How is pulse count (72 ) related to breath rate? Can pulse rate be controlled by lowering the breath rate? Thanks again. I’m a new subscriber to your channel. Yet to finish watching your other videos. 🙏🙏🙏
Great questions! 4 seconds in, 5 seconds out will give you seven breaths a minute. 5 seconds in 6 seconds out. 6 seconds in and 7 seconds out. Try those breaths and see which fits well for you.... Yes, this will automatically lower your heart rate.
As you control the breath, the throat may constrict in order to give you that control. That's okay. Just try and do it in a relaxed manner. ... If you describe Shamanic breathing I can see. ... Welcome aboard! Glad to have you!
Forrest Knutson I love your videos. I respect your sincerity in responding to the viewers comments and questions.
I watched about Shamanic breathing in the UA-cam. It’s nothing to do with meditation . Inhalation and exhalations are done continuously with the mouth open. It’s completely different and is used to flush emotions
@@Positive742 ah, I see. Like Judith Kravits breathing. Basically a continuous Purging Breath. I think it's great, and the emotional release is very good. I wouldn't ever use a Purging Breath or a Mouth Breath for too long, as it isn't good for the body if done too often.
Hey Forrest, do you think it's a good idea to have some headphones in linked to a breathing app at less than 7 breaths per minute as we go about our day for more hrv breathing. Or is it better to just practice hrv breathing at set times?
Both! HRV during the day would be amazing! And then taking the time to sit very still in practice will give you more experience of internalization.
Does anyone know if hrv breath is the same as heart coherence breathing that heart math teaches? Thank you.
Hi forest, the Mycalmbeat app doesn't seem to be available for iphone anymore. Is there a comparable app you can recommend?
I'm actually working on my own app , but it's a little slow going as it's an entirely new process for me.
Ok I’ll wait for your app!
@@flynnk70 thank you! I'm working on it now. Until then I recommend Counting the seconds of the breath, for example 4 seconds in and 5 Seconds out. Or 5 seconds in 6 seconds out. Or 6 seconds in and 7 Seconds out. Try that until you feel comfortable with the Rhythm.
Can one do this even when they’re high on pot? All Himalayan yogis do it I believe.
Hi F.,
I'm trying ur technique of 5BPM. But as I find, my breathing pattern for the [5BPM] time naturally puts a pause between inhale and exhale. Do I try to ignore this attempt at pausing, so that when I finish my inhalation, I immediately exhale? Many thanks, BW,M.
No, go ahead and allow the pause. Flow with it.
@@ForrestKnutson
Hi F.,
Appologies for late rply. My life's a wee bit busy and challenging at t mo.
Many thanks for ur advice and vids, good that u've postd different BPM breathing patterns.
Bw,m.
I think by subscribe your chnl will be a special thing for me coz i started reading about these things 8 months back and your information is amazing..and will like to hear the story of 5 years...
Fantastic, Bandana! So glad to have you here!
Also many people still only breathe in their chest and not from their gut.
Yes! That's extremely important.
Hi Forrest. First, Thanks for all insights you share. Been digging in this yoga jungle for long now before finding some up to date interpretations of facts which you just pour out :) have a wondering thought concerning this topic with moving towards meditation and heart rate variability. When doing Asana practice you try to reach pratyahara or withdraw of senses be focus on breath, reducing breath rate and introducing a overall observation of experience. Would this from your perspective be similar effect towards the parasympathetic nerve systems as sitting in meditation or would it be big difference. Of course meditation is a different step in the eight folded path so all has its place. But I’m still interested in the different between this two parts of practicing.
Another thing. I’m from Sweden and not sure on how a good connection with the Kriya lineage of Lahiri Mahashay could be done. Are not really glad in big organizations when trying to find information concerning spiritual knowledge...big thanks for this knowledge spreading one more time
//Henrik
Henrik, that's a fantastic question. One of the excellent thing about so much stretching is the muscle fibers elongate, telling the brain that relaxation (and even floating or falling) have already happened. While doing all of that, keeping the breath rate down, getting into HRV, being in observation or expansion, you are in the perfect place. Once you stop moving, you can enter into the Freeze Response, and lose sight of the body. So there's the bridge between the 2. In stillness we can enter Freeze, and lose the body. ... I teach the original kriya myself, but I might be a bit far for you in Long Beach CA. The differences between the original and what is offered today are quite large when you put the package together.
Forrest...yes...sounds about right and tested it this morning. Placed my self in meditation this morning after ordinary yoga session as I use to do. This time I realized that your signs of heaviness in hands came after about 5 rounds of breathing as well as distance from psychical body sensation. Felt quite fast but then again the asana practice was about an hour with closed eyes, breath pattern of 4 inhale and 8 exhale and 5 minutes in sirsasana. So 1 hour with about 4-5 breaths/ min and then meditation. So thanks for giving me a understanding of the function of the practice in the body.
Years ago I meet a teacher who gave me three good learnings...one was the essence of practice with ahimsa and the logic of yamas (for real, not just saying), second was to not just believe in “gurus” but to seek in old literature and evaluate with in faith, but not foolish faith. Third he did Khecharimudra (but with a cut fresnel) and when you showed how to do it in one of your movies I tried and because of been doing tongue stretching before and practice in some poses with tongues placed backwards I managed Khechari in about 10 days. Very special experience. But having some question about this and you are really the only one discussing this fully and I have no contact with my teacher.
When placing the tongue upward, is it fully up toward the soft tissue before the brain or is it forward, about where the nasal opening are and with the help of the pallet in the mouth squeezing it upward toward the brain membrane? I can’t reach fully upwards so this is why I’m asking and do you do Khechari in Kumbhaka? Since I can’t breathe in this upward direction this is a question for me.
Just putting the tongue in the cavity and feel the coldness of the breath is very soothing almost like Sitkali Pranayam. So during some meditation sittings I might place it there and it really calms me and makes breathing more deep.
Wished you where a bit closer, not many do yoga in this way as I know of and there goals are more of a psychological direction, where I would love to get deeper in to the understanding of sensations and disillusion of mind.
Do you think that Purana Purusa would give knowledge to experience Kriya by one self or is it needed a teacher to find right techniques.
Sorry for all the questions.
Wish you all the best.
With regards. Henrik
@@henriksoderling7755 there are two places to place the tongue. One is where you are suggesting. This is the ethmoid sinus. Moving at back and forth to either sinus on the left and the right is very balancing. This is an internal alternate nostril breathing technique. The other point, the one I talked about in my videos, is the sphenoid sinus. If you look in the community center on this channel you will find a picture of these two sinuses. Both points are useful. The actual resting point though is the sphenoid sinus.
@@henriksoderling7755 you need to play around with it and how to breathe same time. Just keep moving your tongue slightly until you find a way to breathe while it's there.
@@henriksoderling7755 I definitely think a guide is necessary. I'm working on a number of trainings that show the fundamental processes which I necessary in order to reach deep States. That may show you a lot of what you're looking for. Or you could come and visit me for initiation.
Dear forrest, as you know Yogani can you tell me in all sincerity what do you think about his method please .. he works for example with a mantra, I do not know if I have to continue with that .. I can do 5 breaths per minute but I have to concentrate to continue because otherwise I could sometimes stay without breath at all. can you please specify me? thanking you a thousand times for your generosity and the quality of your videos
Hi Sylvie! If the breath is dipping down into the Tranquil breath, where it begins to disappear, allow it to do that after a few minutes of HRV breathing. Let it go into the Tranquil Breath, and only concentrate on the spiritual eye. While you are there, expand your peripheral vision, boundlessly. ... I am big on OM Japa, which you might know. That's the mantra I use. But, if you are getting into the Tranquil Breath, then all you need to do is what I 1st described to you here. Well done!
@@ForrestKnutson ok, it's clear. I understand. Thanks you very much Forrest. You are my spiritual guide. I listen to you every day. Merci infiniment..
@@sylvieronco756 wonderful! Please let me know how it goes!
@@ForrestKnutson dear Forrest, so I try the om japa and it seems very powerful but as I am conditioned with the mantra IAM I often confuse and I mix so it takes a little time for it to become a habit. But I wanted to ask you another question I almost always see the circle of light sometimes even a small star but just a second
for example when the circle appears in front of me it remains a second and slides either to the left or to the right. So is there a trick so that it remains in front and that I can contemplate ? thank you very much for your answer. Have a good day ! 🥰🥰
@@sylvieronco756 it's stability is connected to holding the eyes in place in shambhavi mudra. Yogis would even hold the eyes physically in place to help practice this. You might like to see my video on the OM technique. It's far down the video list. A little of that practice might help to stabilize things. ... the next thing is to adopt an expansive Viewpoint. So that when you see it you don't try and follow it, with your eyes, but rather stare at it in a spacious way.
Great video once again Forrest.
Ideally, how many minutes per day do you recommend practicing HRV breathing?
10 minutes a day at least is ideal, to create changes in the body. The more the practice, the more the benefits.
@@ForrestKnutson , Thank you.
Would 60 minutes a day during my holiday be ok or is that overdoing it?
@@mikebell4435 that's fantastic! Just don't push yourself past what is comfortable, but rather develop deeper and deeper HRV. 😊
Amazing video!
Thank you Zeno!
So, is it a good idea to adopt ujjayi breathing in daily life?
Btw, thanks for the video.
Yes, the ujjayi breath is a great way to learn control, and to lengthen the breath (especially the outbreath). Great question!
6:00 video starts here
really nice and interesting tips. Have you written a book? If not, you should!
Thank you and Davi I wrote hacking the universe about 10 years ago and I'm working on a second book now. You can see it forming on patreon if you'd like to see some snippets. 🤩
@@ForrestKnutson yeah I saw some positive reviews and just bought it, looking forward to take a look. btw I did my first experiment on lowering the breathing and wow haha, really worked. I felt my hands sweating instead of just hot, I would normally take 20 minutes to be able to go into deep meditation before. Just had to deal with this "oh my gosh I need air" initial sensation. Thanks for the great work!
@@davirtavares fantastic! Remember to make it comfortable for yourself because that's what's going to give you the optimal rate. Then you can slowly stretch that. Well done!
@@ForrestKnutson Can u please tell me how to lower the breath rate? is it like breathing slowly?
Breath is only a popular object because of its high availability. Deep meditation does not depend on how many breaths we take in each minute, but rather the quality of continuous mindfulness on the chosen object which is somewhat arbitrary. Relaxation to meditation is like stretching to working out - it's supports the work we want to do, but itself is not the work.
Thank you for the great video.
What breathing ratio do you recommend for when going for a gentle walk in the mornings?
The nervous system and the breadth are designed to be very flexible. So when we go for a walk we don't want to constrain ourselves so much that we get uncomfortable. So great practice is just take some deep breaths and feel the nice fresh air inside the nose and lungs, and breathe out nice long easy breaths. Just make the out-breath longer than what you would usually do. This way you are training yourself for longer breaths in everyday life. 😊
@@ForrestKnutson , Thank you for your reply.
Do you think HRV breathing is like a gentler form of Wim Hof breathing? Is it true that both methods activate the parasympathetic nervous system and the vagal nerve?
@@mikebell4435 no not really. It's a Hyperventilation Breath which will cause vasodilation. A little is okay, but it's not good as a main practice. HRV Works more steadily on the DVN. Work that Hyperventilation just can't offer.
Very informative sir.
Thank you John!
Hi again Forrest! As always, I keep reading about everything spiritual related in order to learn more and get a better picture of life and spirituality. What do you think about this quote from the famous Vivekananda? It's different from what Lahiri Mahasaya said. I'm not saying one of them is wrong, but there seems to be many different ways of a spiritual uplifting life. Personally I think it's unrealistic for most men to become like Vivekananda, but it seems like it's possible at least......I have no idea how he did it, but I don't think he is lying. He lived a remarkable life that is beyond the physical, definitely.
"In my first speech in this country, in Chicago, I addressed that audience as 'Sisters and Brothers of America', and you know that they all rose to their feet. You may wonder what made them do this, you may wonder if I had some strange power. Let me tell you that I did have a power and this is it - never once in my life did I allow myself to have even one sexual thought. I trained my mind, my thinking, and the powers that man usually uses along that line I put into a higher channel, and it developed a force so strong that nothing could resist it."
It's your energy supply. So, if you save it up, it will of course fuel the rest of your life. Even Lady Gaga talks about this as an entertainer. ... And there is a downside. It will lead to mental imbalance, as the human body, and every living organism, has been programmed with the reproductive instinct for millennium. So, you are attempting to vanquish an opponent which is literally much bigger than yourself. ... For this reason he recommended balance. Not too much and not too little. A very refreshing and honest account, if ever I did see one.
@@ForrestKnutson Yeah I think balance is the right approach in life, to everything. Yin and Yang. But, there seems to be people who have managed to become enlightened without having a wife or sex regularly. I can just applaud those people since they are certainly stronger than me, mentally.
Sadhguru seems to be one of them as well, although he had a wife before that died. I don't think he is the type to have sex with his students though.....he seems genuine.
Very well-said. If one unearths the reason for Vivikananda's demise at such a relatively young age, they may be quite surprised.
I tried out the app and guess I never realized just how slow I really breathe. It only goes to 4.5 bpm which seemed faster than I thought it would be. I'm somewhere around 2 breathes per minute during my Kriya. I put your other tips into practice today and started to notice your beginning symptoms of pratyahara, very awesome. I tried to email you from the email listed on Ashok's site about learning the Bhattacharya lineage but no response yet. Is there a better email?
Hi there! I just responded to a number of emails. Maybe one was yours? If not, please try me again at thatyogiguy@gmail.com ... I'm so happy to hear of your success! Yes, the app is limited, but still a good guide to give you the idea. Thank you for writing!
Wow 2bpm? That’s impressive, how lol
@@georgekelly5987 I guess just years of pranayama, kinda just slows down to that after a bit on its own with a little control on my part
@@negligent666 pranayama? Is that the breathing exersize explained here?
@@georgekelly5987 there's a bunch of types of pranayama. Pranayama basically just means breath control. Can't really say which one to try, best bet is finding a teacher
Forrest Hey! I'm starting to Hong Sau again, but I wonder how do you pronounce the Sau in your mind and is that rly important? Like sawww or saaa? And Hong Sau better than focus on breath us say?
Hi Mert! I pronounce it the 2nd way, but it's not what is driving the technique. The driving force is the lowering of the breath rate. ;) And the real sound is exactly the sound of your breath.
@@ForrestKnutson Forrest I understand what you mean exactly, I remember when I used the technique deeply back then, I remember cessation of breath. Forest when I get accusstomed to lowered breath rate with increased meditation practice, this means lowering of anxiety with HUGE amounts and increase of peace and confidence in long term? Because lowered breath rate=strong nervous system I believe? I also wonder if I will go through phases with Hong Sau meditation technique, like feeling anxious, feeling depressed, then feeling overly emotional some days etc.? What is ur opinion?
Yes, working with the breath definitely increases vagal response and strengthens the system. ... It is possible that buried emotional content may come to the surface as we integrate with the Unconscious Mind, however the overall effect of breathwork should always be calming.
@@ForrestKnutson and that emotional content coming up to be integrated actually can be healing correct? Forrest much thanks for all of the answers!
@@mertefe4345 exactly. When stuff comes up in life, sometimes we can't deal with it in the moment and so our subconscious allows us to store it later in the hopes that we will unravel the story when we have more time. So that old content being held in the nervous system will affect us long-term. So when these things come up if we can process them and let go of the negative emotions oh, then it is extremely liberating and healing for the psyche and the nervous system.
🙏 namaste
Wow. This is a paradigm shift. Thank you so much. Do you think some people have breathing that naturally chronically increases with activity, due to stressful events that have taken place in their life? In other words, the trauma stored in their body “nudges” their breath to a chronic increased rate as activity accumulates?
That's exactly right, and eating habits, and not enough movement. All this nudges the breath into a high-idle-state.
Again great. Explaination
Thank you Alok!
How about being aware of one's surrounding odour?
There are experiences where the yogi will develop a divine scent. He will spontaneously smell roses or some other scent. During the Big Bliss video, I think I have my friend on record as experiencing this during the process of the Roll-up.
Controlling your breath, or thinking you have control over it, is it a good technic ? I thought we should let go and stop to try controlling everything in our life.
It's a great technique, because we all have breath rates that are too high for deep progress. Control leads to no control. This is what I teach in the 4th Phase of Breath Training.
FK, from past few days in my deep meditation, I hear some sort of hissing sound, when I researched I found it to be tinnitus. During meditation it increases and persistent even after I come out of meditation. Now, i am getting distributed even during my normal state. Do you have any suggestion or kriya to stop this sound.
its not tinnitus. its coming from pineal gland in my experience.
Tinnitus is caused by a deficiency of calcium. It's not tinnitus. You are introcepting the internal sounds of your own nervous system. To get it to stop, rub your face vigorously, and concentrate on normal worldly matters. That's actually a very good practice, to be able to go into, and then out of deep states.
@@Limit_Breaker1 thank you for commenting, i hope it is not tinnitus.
@@ForrestKnutson thank you for your suggestion. I am sure I dont have calcium deficiency. Let me try rubbing my face when I start heading the sound again.
@@manjunathgangadharg7392 wonderful! Let me know how it works for you. Hearing the sounds is a very good thing. It's a product of your own deep introception, and will eventually turn into the deep resonating sound of the OM.
Thanks Forrest! Would doing 10 mins of HRV breathing right before bed be a good idea? Do you practice that by chance?
Yes, absolutely 🤩 yes I practice every morning and evening.
@Forrest Knutson thank you! How many breaths per minute do you do before bed?
@@mikepaquette1245 you have to pick the one which is most comfortable for you and that is what it's going to give you the greatest success and the greatest raids of resonance between the heart and the breath 😉🙏
Post the link to the studies you listed please? How you are talking seems to me like pseudoscience.
Thanks for this , one question i observed pause for 1 sec. after exhale is that ok ? or there should no pause .
If you're staying in HRV, with Hands Hot and Heavy, then it's okay. If you've seen the Clinical Mindfulness video with the 4 Proofs. Those 4 Proofs are your guide.
@@ForrestKnutson 🙏 thank you
Forrest, how long do you find the hrv lasts for? Lets say that you take your 5 or 10 minutes to get into hrv and then you go about your day with no stress. How long will it generally last? Is it as soon as the breath goes over 7 breaths per minute? Thank you for any further clarification.
As you continue with it, your normal rate of breath will decrease. Then the benefits become permanent. I used to practice going into it 20 times a day in little breaks and long practice. Some doctors say that with 10 minutes twice a day we receive sustained benefits enough to make a difference. Less than that and we don't get the sustained benefits.
@@ForrestKnutson , Thank you.
And when you did your hrv 20 times per day, approximately how long each time?
@@mikebell4435 it was only on my brakes at the time so I would sneak it in for like 5 minutes. And when I had a real break I'd take the whole 10 or 15 minute break practicing HRV. So anywhere from five to 15 minutes.
Do you mean longer breath by slowing it down or deeper breath by breathing in a lot more oxygen ?
I mean long, because when you say "deep" it is often translated into hyperventilation. So, I say long, which leads to the correct practice.
I use Breathe easy its an iOS app
I love to practise 4:8 ✨🧘♀️
Wonderful!
whats hrv
Very interesting. I'll have to listen to this again. Thank you Forrestji!
Thank you! 🤗
Sometimes when I go into deep meditation I stop breathing altogether - is this a good or a bad thing?
That's good, Lena. So long as you aren't forcing it. We call this the Tranquil Breath. It's what I teach in the 4th Phase of Breath Training.
My exact same question I'm afraid sometimes when I meditate if when I slowly exhale and then stop for a moment without forcing it whether my brain could run out of oxygen even though I have never felt dizzy or faint at all. It scares me to notice how that pause sometimes gets longer.
Watching the breathing, lowers the breath rate - Lowering the breath rate makes you watch your breathing.
Exactly!
❤️🙏🏻
Uncle
I think a very important factor here is obesity crisis. Netflix and more job stress I think has significantly less effect on breathing than gaining an weight. Wasn't the average weight of full grown american men in 1920 like 150?
An excellent point. I think that's very true. It has certainly affected the breath rate.
☀️🙏
🙏🙏🤩
I don't believe it. Maybe in some cases such as combination of obesity, smoking habits and stationary lifestyle. Not a majority. But large part of population