Lecture

Ch. 6 • The Breath of Life: Harmonizing Science and Spiritual Practice in Surrendered Breathing

Breathing Life into Cells: The Science and Spirit of Respiration

Over the past year or more, Sri Shambhavananda has been teaching that students should breathe with more surrender when they meditate and in daily life. He has instructed students to breathe lighter, softer, gentler, as a means of calming the nervous system and mind, as well as opening the heart. This lesson seeks to show the scientific foundations of why this teaching can be so effective for each of us. What we find biologically is that breathing gentler, with more surrender, is actually dramatically more efficient at transmitting oxygen to cells in need. This method also puts our breathing in alignment with the teachings of the Shiva Sutras, which describe the work of awakening Kundalini as a gentle repetitious process. Like so many aspects of growth, even though this may be a more sustainable path, it can be uncomfortable at first as we have established our ‘equilibrium” on an un-equal foundation. Slowing down is difficult, and therefore requires a combination of technique to point you in the right direction, which we seek to do today, as well as surrender and allowing ourselves to explore a new path with effort over time.

We first dive deeply now into the biology of breathing in order to explore this new, yet ancient, way of breathing. The way in which our cells receive oxygen is a profound process that when understood actually inspires a more surrendered path to the breath. The big takeaway is a counter-intuitive one: the deeper we breathe in, the less oxygen goes into our cells, and that when we truly begin to breathe out, we create the right conditions for oxygen to become assimilated. As Patanjali wrote it 2,000 years ago, between the inhale and the exhale, the exhale is the most essential, because when the pipe is clear, the water must flow.

How Our Cells Breathe: The Household and Cellular Respiration

1. Household as a Cell:

• Imagine each cell in the body as a household. Just like a household needs energy to perform daily activities, a cell needs energy (ATP) to carry out its various functions.

2. Canned Goods as Glucose:

• Each household has a pantry stocked with canned goods, representing glucose. These canned goods store the potential energy needed by the household to fuel its daily activities.

3. Can Body and Can Lid represent Hydrogen Protons and Electrons:

• The can body represents hydrogen protons (H⁺), and the lid represents electrons. To unlock the energy within the can (glucose), both the can body (H⁺) and lid (electrons) need to be opened and disposed of. This is where the crucial role of oxygen comes in.

4. Oxygen as an Amazing Can Opener:

• Oxygen acts as a special can opener delivered to each household. Just as you need a can opener to access the food inside a can, cells need oxygen to unlock the energy stored in glucose.

• What makes this can opener (oxygen) unique is that when it opens a can (facilitates energy release), it combines with the can body (H⁺) and lid (electrons) to form water (H₂O). This water can be used by the cell for various functions or excreted if there is excess.

• Imagine if a one-time-use can opener turned into water after being used in everyday life—your body does just that. Oxygen molecules attract the electrons used in the process of unlocking glucose to produce ATP. As these molecules are used to unlock the food, they need to go somewhere. Without the presence of oxygen, the cans would not only remain unopened but would also pile up. Oxygen enables the cans to dissolve into a usable substance and allows the process of unlocking ATP to continue. This water (used can opener and can) can either be used by the household (cell) for various needs or eventually be excreted as waste.

5. ATP as the Food Inside the Cans:

• The actual food inside the cans represents ATP, the usable energy the cell requires for its activities. Once the can is opened (glucose is metabolized), the household (cell) can use this food (ATP) to power its tasks.

7. Cellular Respiration as Household Activities:

• The household (cell) uses the energy (ATP) for various tasks, like cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the home. Similarly, the cell uses ATP for all its functions, including working a normal job from home, synthesizing proteins, maintaining ion gradients, and overall cellular upkeep.

8. Production of CO₂ as Trash Bags:

• As the household performs its activities, it generates trash in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂). These trash bags represent CO₂, a byproduct of the energy extraction process (cellular respiration).

9. Extracellular Space as the Area Outside the House:

• The area immediately outside the house (cell) is the extracellular space, where CO₂ trash bags are placed after being produced inside. This space begins to accumulate CO₂ as the cell continues to work, indicating ongoing metabolic activity.

10. Accumulation of CO₂ Trash Bags and Signaling:

• The build-up of CO₂ trash bags outside the house creates pressure and changes the local environment in the extracellular matrix outside the cell. The presence of CO₂ also increases the acidity (lowering pH) in the extracellular space. The change in pressure and acidity signals that more oxygen (can openers) is needed to continue opening cans (producing energy).

11. The Bohr Effect and Hemoglobin’s Response:

• The delivery truck (hemoglobin) detects the high concentration of CO₂ (many trash bags) in the extracellular space. This indicates that the household (cell) is actively working and consuming oxygen, thus requiring more.

• Due to the Bohr effect, hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen decreases in these acidic conditions, making it release oxygen more readily. This results in more can openers being delivered to the households that need them most.

• Hemoglobin Break: Hemoglobin is a protein molecule found in red blood cells. There are about 270 million hemoglobin proteins in each red blood cell. Hemoglobin has the unique ability to attract and hold oxygen and carbon dioxide to facilitate gas exchange to and from our cells. As red blood cells pass through capillaries, the smallest and most numerous blood vessels in the body, the hemoglobin responds to the environment surrounding the capillary wall. When there is a high concentration of CO₂ waste from the cells and high acidity—analogous to a lot of trash bags on the stoop in our analogy—the hemoglobin releases its oxygen molecules. Oxygen molecules are even smaller than hemoglobin; one hemoglobin protein can hold four oxygen molecules. This means one red blood cell can carry approximately 1 billion oxygen molecCelluules.

• Visualizing the Size Relationship:

• Red Blood Cell (6-8 µm): Imagine a large pizza, about 30 centimeters (12 inches) across.

• Hemoglobin (5 nm): Compared to this “pizza,” a hemoglobin molecule would be like a small grain of rice, about 0.015 centimeters (0.005 inches) long.

• Oxygen/CO₂ Molecules (0.3 nm): An oxygen or CO₂ molecule would be like a tiny speck of dust compared to the grain of rice, almost invisible to the naked eye.

12. Cyclical Process of Gas Exchange:

• Oxygen (can openers) is released to the cell to help unlock energy from glucose. As the cell continues to work, it produces more CO₂ (trash bags), which signals the need for more oxygen.

• This cycle ensures a continuous supply of oxygen to meet the cell’s needs and a consistent removal of CO₂, maintaining balance and optimal cellular function.

The Bohr effect, a physiological phenomenon discovered in 1904 by Danish physiologist Christian Bohr, describes the almost counterintuitive way in which CO₂ is the determining factor in whether your cells receive the O₂ they need. When cells metabolize nutrients, they produce CO₂ as a byproduct. This CO₂ diffuses into the blood, increasing the partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) in the blood surrounding the tissues. The higher pCO₂ and the resulting decrease in pH (due to the formation of carbonic acid from CO₂ and water) lower hemoglobin’s affinity for O₂. This encourages hemoglobin to release O₂ to the tissues that need it. In the lungs, the exact opposite phenomenon occurs—CO₂ is expelled from the blood into the alveoli to be exhaled, reducing the pCO₂ and increasing the pH. This higher pH increases hemoglobin’s affinity for O₂, allowing it to pick up more O₂ in the lungs to be transported throughout the body.

This is why pulmonologists use the presence of CO₂ in the breath as a measure of how well oxygen is being delivered to cells. In the words of Christian Bohr, “The carbon dioxide pressure of the blood is to be regarded as an important factor in the inner respiratory metabolism. If one uses carbon dioxide in appropriate amounts, the oxygen that was taken up can be used more effectively throughout the body.” Or, as Dr. Crystal Frazee, a breathing behavior analyst, describes it, “Good breathing is actually defined as: ’Retaining the proper amount of CO2 so that we can oxygenate properly and that our systems remain in harmony’…Respiration is all about CO2…When CO2 is at right levels in blood and airways, then we can have adequate oxygen levels.”

The counterintuitive phenomenon that requires such an elaborate analogy is that if our CO₂ levels are too low, then there are no ‘trash bags’ on the doorstep, and hence no delivery of oxygen can openers to the cell. This is essentially the state of hyperventilation—breathing in so much that you actually pass out. But why would breathing in so much lead to less oxygen delivery to the cells? Wouldn’t it mean you have more and more oxygen? As we saw from the Bohr effect, this is not the case.

As Patrick McKeown describes in his text Oxygen Advantage, “The crucial point to remember is that hemoglobin releases oxygen when in the presence of carbon dioxide. When we overbreathe, too much carbon dioxide is washed from the lungs, blood, tissues, and cells. This condition is called hypocapnia, causing the hemoglobin to hold on to oxygen, resulting in reduced oxygen release and therefore reduced oxygen delivery to tissues and organs. With less oxygen delivered to the muscles, they cannot work as effectively as we might like them to. As counterintuitive as it may seem, the urge to take bigger, deeper breaths when we hit the wall during exercise does not provide the muscles with more oxygen but effectively reduces oxygenation even further. In contrast, when breathing volume remains nearer to correct levels, the pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood is higher, loosening the bond between hemoglobin and oxygen and facilitating the delivery of oxygen to the muscles and organs…In light of the Bohr Effect, overbreathing limits the release of oxygen from the blood, and in turn affects how well our muscles are able to work.” He goes on to cite studies from the American Journal of Psychiatry that show our arteries can constrict by as much as 50 percent when we overbreathe. This means that when we really want to ‘catch our breath,’ we actually need to slow our breathing down and focus on our exhales, not breathe in deeper or faster.

This calls back to Patanjali’s ancient teachings on the breath, wherein he stated that of the two aspects of the breath—the inhale and the exhale—the exhale is actually the most important. As he put it, “When the pipe clears, the water must flow,” meaning that a complete exhale naturally draws in an inhale afterward. The opposite is not necessarily true; a deep inhale, as the Bohr effect shows us, could actually have a negative impact on our experience. So when in doubt, breathe out. Make room, surrender.

Studies have shown that the most overlooked aspect of our breath is, in fact, our exhale. We inhale too much and exhale not enough. Exhaling more is actually just a cue to exhale in a balanced way. When you lack something and do more of it, it brings you into balance. As we saw from our work with intra-abdominal pressure, for many of us, due to atrophied core musculature and chest/mouth breathing, our diaphragm never fully retracts but stays in a semi-contracted, hyperinflated state, playing the role of breather as well as core supporter. A fuller exhale simply allows the diaphragm to return to its true resting position. And as the Bohr effect and Patanjali teach, this fuller exhale is actually what allows oxygen to begin being absorbed.

It may seem counterintuitive, but exhaling longer raises the CO₂ in your blood. To think about it simply, anything other than inhaling will help to raise the CO₂ in your blood and enhance oxygen delivery. Breathing in less, being with the pauses between breaths, as well as exhaling slower and more completely, all help to raise the CO₂ levels in the blood. All of this science has been put forth to help your mind comprehend a process that is slightly counterintuitive so that you can give yourself permission to breathe in a new, more balanced way during your practice. Our goal is to learn how to ride the breath like a vehicle, instead of pushing and pulling it like a jackhammer, as Sri Shambhavananda teaches: “Think of the breath as a vehicle rather than a jackhammer. Often students use the breath too strongly. You will not be using the breath to cut the rock open…The breath is like a massage…When students are able to be open and simple with their breath, they realize that controlling the breath is not the same as watching the breath…The pranayama within the breath is simply flowing with the breath.”

So how do we let our breath flow? That’s what we’re here to learn. We know one thing for sure: give more attention to the exhale. This calls back to the teachings on Kundalini energy in the Shiva Sutras: “This goddess cannot be awakened with force. She can only be awakened by (nāda) supreme I consciousness filled with supreme awareness. To awaken her, the yogī has to churn his point of one-pointedness in the heart, without break, again and again. He must churn it by inserting sparks of awareness, one after another, again and again, in unbroken continuation. The process is to insert one spark of awareness. Let that one spark fade. Again, insert fresh awareness. Let that spark fade. Again, insert fresh awareness. This process must be continued over and over again in continuity.”

With the inhale, we light the spark; with the exhale, we let it fade. Light the spark, let it fade. Light the spark, let it fade. This is the key to a balanced breath flow. The fading out takes longer than the inhale spark, which aligns with scientific teachings on the breath. Let the exhale take longer than the inhale. And as both science and yoga ask of us, treat both with respect and a light touch, and practice consistently over time.

Checking in our CO2 Tolerance with the BOLT score

For most of us, a balanced relationship with CO2 will feel uneasy. This is because we have become accustomed to a low level of CO2 in our hyper venitaletd state. Luck for us, there is a test we can do to help us understand our current relationship with CO2, and work from there. We can take a moment to test our relationship to CO2 with a test called the BOLT score. The BOLT score stands for Body Oxygen Level Test. It is a simple breathing test that measures your breath-hold time after a normal exhalation and is used as an indicator of your body’s tolerance to carbon dioxide (CO₂) and overall breathing efficiency.

What Does the BOLT Score Measure?

The BOLT score is designed to assess the sensitivity of your respiratory centers to carbon dioxide levels. It provides an estimate of how comfortable your body is with higher levels of CO₂ and how well your breathing is regulated. A higher BOLT score indicates better tolerance to CO₂ and more efficient breathing patterns.

How to Measure the BOLT Score:

1. Sit Comfortably and Relax: Sit in a comfortable position, with your back straight and shoulders relaxed.

2. Breathe Normally: Take a few minutes to breathe normally and allow your breathing to settle.

3. Inhale and Exhale Normally: Take a normal breath in through your nose and let a normal breath out through your nose. Do not take a deep breath.

4. Hold Your Breath: After the normal exhalation, pinch your nose to prevent air from entering or exiting. Start a timer as soon as you hold your breath.

5. Measure Time Until the First Urge to Breathe: Hold your breath until you feel the first definite urge to breathe, such as a feeling of discomfort in your chest or throat, or the involuntary movement of your diaphragm. Note that this is not the maximum time you can hold your breath but the first point where you feel you need to breathe again.

6. Stop the Timer: Release your nose and resume normal breathing through your nose. Stop the timer and note the time in seconds.

Interpreting the BOLT Score:

• <10 seconds: Very low tolerance to CO₂, indicating poor breathing patterns or respiratory inefficiency. Often associated with chronic over-breathing or hyperventilation.

• 10-20 seconds: Indicates a moderate level of breathing efficiency but still suggests that there may be room for improvement in respiratory function and CO₂ tolerance.

• 20-30 seconds: Considered a good score, showing a reasonably good level of CO₂ tolerance and effective breathing patterns.

• >30 seconds: Indicates excellent breathing efficiency and high tolerance to CO₂, often seen in those with optimized breathing patterns, such as well-trained athletes or individuals who practice breathwork regularly.

Why is the BOLT Score Important?

The BOLT score provides insight into the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in your body and how well you can tolerate higher levels of CO₂. Improving your BOLT score can have several benefits:

• Better Oxygen Utilization: Higher CO₂ tolerance can improve oxygen delivery to tissues, including the brain and muscles.

• Enhanced Breathing Efficiency: Training to improve your BOLT score can lead to more efficient, calmer breathing patterns.

• Improved Athletic Performance: Athletes often use the BOLT score to assess their respiratory function and improve endurance and performance.

• Reduced Symptoms of Over-Breathing: For individuals with conditions like anxiety or asthma, improving their BOLT score can help reduce symptoms related to over-breathing or hyperventilation.

Overall, the BOLT score is a useful tool for evaluating and improving respiratory health and efficiency.The most accurate BOLT score is taken first thing after waking. This BOLT measurement is more accurate because you cannot influence your breathing during sleep, and therefore an early morning score will be based on your breathing volume as naturally set by your respiratory center.

Simple scientifically tested ways to Minimize Carbon Dioxide Loss and improve your tolerance for CO2 in the long run.

• Breathe through your nose both day and night to help retain carbon dioxide.

• Notice when you sigh and yawn a lot: This could indicate that you are operating at a low blood oxygen level, meaning you are hyperventilating and not realizing it. This is common when we are in a head forward position at our computers, or when we are just tired and “pushing through it”. It is recommended that when you feel yourself sigh to try to suppress it, and actually hold your breath for 5-15 seconds in order to allow your CO2 levels to start to rise.

• Breathe through your nose when talking: This is a tough one! It requires that you speak in smaller sentences and pause more frequently. The result, though, is a sustainability and vitality that can take your health to the next level. We are all familiar with the sound of a person breathing while talking into a microphone on a podcast, that’s not an ideal path. In fact, it is recommended that our breath is not audible when we speak, although that is a challenge for sure. If you can hear your breath while speaking, slow down your speech, use shorter sentences, and take gentle breaths through your nose between sentences. To practice this, try reading a paragraph of a book out loud and see what it takes to breath quietly through your nose between sentences. This will help you establish a way of relating to speaking more sustainably.

• Monitor your breathing throughout the day. At rest, good breathing should be neither seen nor heard.

• Practice Surrendered, Lighter, Breathing in many aspects of your life. We will do a seated version of surrendered breathing on our cushion and on our mat, but we will also show you ways to bring a very simple non-stressful training method into your daily life in the form of walking.

Introductory exercises for Surrendered Breathing to help improve our tolerance to CO2, adapted from The Oxygen Advantage Method

Surrendered Breathing while Seated:

• Sit up straight. Allow your shoulders to relax. Imagine a piece of string gently holding you up from the top of the back of your head. At the same time, feel the space between your ribs gradually widening.

           •  Place one hand on your chest and one hand just above your navel.

           •  Feel your abdomen gently moving outward as you inhale and gently moving inward as you exhale.

           •  As you breathe, exert gentle pressure with your hands against your abdomen and chest. This should create resistance to your breathing.

           •  Breathe against your hands, concentrating on making the size of each breath smaller.

           •  With each breath, take in less air than you would like to. Make the in-breath smaller or shorter.

           •  Gently slow down and reduce your breathing movements until you feel a tolerable hunger for air.

           •  Breathe out with a relaxed exhalation. Allow the natural elasticity of your lungs and diaphragm to play their role in each exhalation. Imagine a balloon slowly and gently deflating of its own accord.

           •  When the in-breath becomes smaller and the out-breath is relaxed, visible breathing movements will be reduced. You may be able to notice this in a mirror.

Surrendered Breathing while Walking

• Begin walking smoothly. Take a small, silent breath in through your nose and a small, silent breath out through your nose.

• Hold your breath after exhaling and continue walking

• Count your steps as you walk with your breath held. Notice a slight hunger for air accumulating. Don’t stress yourself out, but feel it and let it build up a little.

• Continue walking and when you decide to breathe in, breathe in slowly and silently.

• Note: If you have to breathe in a strong way after this exercise then you held your breath too long. Every step of the way should feel sustainable. There is no benefit from willing a longer breath hold which requires that you breathe hard afterwards.

• Try to breathe in slowly like this 2-3 times, then breathe normally as you continue walking for a minute or two.

• Let yourself feel really comfortable with this at first, and build up to a slightly stronger breath hunger after more repetitions. 6 total repetitions is recommended by the Oxygen Advantage program, which I have found feels like a good goal.

Breathing light during Asana

This basically asks that we breathe through our nose lightly, slowly and deeply during our asana practice. Throughout the asana practice it can be helpful to place greater emphasis on the exhale in order to feel the diaphragm fully retract. This can reset your experience of breathing and allow you to take a lighter slower inhale. Keep in mind that each asana will have its own demands on our body, so we may have to lighten our practice in order to sustain our surrendered breathing.