Freeing the Breath with Donna Fahri and Luigi (the border collie mix)

Back from my grandfather's funeral in Austria, walking on Broadway through Times Square to work one morning, the icy wind felt soothing.  It must have been late 2004.  I brought up his death to a coworker in the elevator.  He changed the subject.  Many of us feel uncomfortable speaking about death.  My younger brother, grandmother, grandfather and one of Regal's nephews all died within one year more or less.  

During that time I stopped going to yoga class because I did not want to cry in the presence of others many of whom I mostly did not know outside of the studio.  So I resorted to what I refer to as "lazy living room yoga" instead.  I would do a few asanas then fall into lethargy, or simply fall asleep.

At one point the pain in my chest was getting really bad (heart ache), and despite the fact that I had been a yogini for a long time I could not relax as usual.

I found Donna Fahri's "Breathing Book" as I needed to do something about this pain and followed exercises to help free the breath.  And there was Luigi, our border collie mix:  One day, Luigi was resting on the bed and I went over to snuggle with him.  I felt his warm body and his belly rise and fall and then I got it; my body got it. My breath chimed in.  I must have taken the first diaphramatic breath in a while.  I was getting better.  

Luigi and Donna Fahri get credit for getting me past the chest pain. I was literally angry that the deaths were not spaced out more so I could grief one person at a time.  Doesn't make sense, but that's how I felt.  I did not accept what happened; it was overwhelming.

Life is complex and there are no short cuts.  We never know how death of loved ones will affect us, however, I think it is important to think about it, if only to fill our own lives with more awareness.  

Thank you, Luigi and Donna Farhi.  

Blessings as always,
B


Birgit Nagele, ARCB, LVCY, TSY

Here is a mini rebalancing exercise:
- Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth on a ha sound; and again, and again, then return to natural breathing and observe for a few seconds...

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(Luigi died in 2008 before I was aware of Dien Cham.  I remember taking him for his last walk and saw him suffer a lot as he got older.  Grateful that I now have tools to support Mowgli on a daily basis.  Our pets have to put up with so much.  To learn a few reflex areas (Dien Cham) to work on the face is the least we can do, and being one hundred percent that one minute with our animal friend relaxes us as well.

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