Hi,
I'm Jack.
Welcome.
So if you are here right now,
It's quite likely that you have embarked upon a breast cancer journey like myself.
And I want you to know first off that I get it.
It's big.
And I'm sending you love.
I'm sending deep care.
And gentle kindness.
To you.
And I want you to know that you are in a safe space.
Where you can just be yourself and feel and express whatever emotions you need to.
So today I'd like to share two breathing techniques that really helped me along my breast cancer journey and it's my hope that they may be able to support your journey if needed.
So the first one is for whenever I'm feeling,
I've used this for quite some time,
This breath,
So even before I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I use it whenever I feel a little bit emotionally overwhelmed,
Or a lot overwhelmed,
Or a little bit panicky-attacky.
I think that's the correct terminology for it,
Panicky-attacky.
And not once has this breath ever failed.
To bring some sort of sense of calm to my parasympathetic nervous system.
So.
.
.
I call it the soupy noodle breath because it's all through the mouth.
Sucking in noodles.
Yum.
And it's a two-part breath,
So it's down into the belly first and then up into the chest.
And I don't know about you,
But whenever I'm feeling emotionally overwhelmed,
Sometimes it's hard to breathe through my nose and to get enough oxygen into my body.
Through the nose.
So this one's really efficient through the mouth at getting air into the body as efficiently as possible to help bring a sense of calm.
So I'm gonna put my hand,
I'll show you first,
I'll put my hand on my belly.
You can't see my hand probably right now,
But just know that it's expanding when I breathe into my belly.
And then you'll notice my chest and shoulders rise a bit as I adapt to bring the breath up into my chest.
Two distinct stages,
Belly then chest.
Obviously you can hold it as long as you like at the top.
Um.
.
.
I like to hold it for quite some time at the top,
Obviously comfortably so,
And because it does,
I think it helps.
It helps activate the parasympathetic system.
AVEN more effectively when we hold that breath at the top.
All right,
Would you like to join me?
So let's breathe into the belly first,
Two distinct breaths.
Shall we go again?
You don't have to hold it at the top for the same amount of time as me,
Just go with your own flow.
Breathing in.
Out through the mouth.
So that's the first breath,
Soupy noodles.
Welcome.
Okay,
Now the second breath is one that I use in preparation for radiotherapy.
And during,
Actually during my radiotherapy sessions.
So for me it was really important that I had the breath.
Built into my body before I went in,
So I knew it,
I'd practiced it,
My nervous system knew it,
So I could access it.
Whenever I needed to and that was a really efficient way for me to take care of myself during these sessions because,
You know,
Especially the first sessions it's the unknown and you might be a little bit nervous,
You might be a little bit scared.
And to have the breath to fall back on something that you've practiced,
Something that you and your body know can be really,
Really beneficial.
You may or may not be aware you need to hold your breath during radiotherapy.
You don't have to be a great breath holder.
Your breast care team will adapt the therapy to suit your capabilities.
But for me I wanted to be able to take in as much air as I comfortably could.
And hold it in my body for as long as I could and then breathe out nice and slow and deep because not only obviously was my aim to protect my lungs and my heart but it was to relax and be in a state of relaxation while I was having the sessions.
And this breath did that for me.
It helped me achieve that.
And I was able to actually be in a love state when I breathed like this,
So I was able to say.
.
.
I am loved.
That I'm receiving love.
Giving love,
That the radiotherapy beam was guided by love.
And yeah,
It's just.
.
.
It's quite an unusual thing to say that.
That while I was.
.
.
Receiving radiotherapy I was almost in a transcendental state even while other emotions were going on but that's what this breath was able to do for me and I hope that it might be as powerful for you as support for you along your journey.
So it's similar to the first breath in that it's down into the belly first and then up into the chest but this time it's seamless and this time it's through the nose.
It's actually easier when you're lying down so just remember that and it's a great one to practice just before sleep or when you wake up first thing in the morning.
So I'm going to show you first and then you're most welcome to join me.
So breathing into the belly first.
And out through the mouth.
So you may notice I really adjusted my posture,
My upper posture,
To accommodate the breath.
And you'll feel that when you're lying down.
It's almost like you arch your back,
But you can really expand your chest and your belly.
And adjust your shoulders to kind of just get the most out of the breath and feel it fill your whole body.
All right,
Would you like to join me?
So breathing in through the nose.
And out.
Obviously you can hold it again as long as you like.
The longer,
Comfortably so,
The better I find in terms of entering a deep,
Relaxing state.
Shall we go for it one more time,
Breathing in through the nose?
So that is the bread.
I also imagined I'm someone who learnt Reiki many,
Many years ago.
I also imagined that the universe was giving me Reiki while I was receiving radiotherapy.
That the machine,
I did the Reiki symbols on the machine,
I pictured my.
.
.
Pitch of the machine bang.
Surrounded and infused with.
Beautiful.
White light and love.
I pictured myself emanating love.
Beautiful white light surrounding me and emanating from me.
I pictured my mum,
She entered the scene for a little bit,
She was giving me Reiki too.
You don't have to know Reiki to be able to do this for yourself.
In the radiotherapy room,
You can just imagine good,
Loving thoughts.
Whatever works for you,
Whatever might have worked for you in the past.
Yeah,
Just play around.
Trust that.
When you call upon those parts of yourself,
Whatever your spirituality is.
That it can be a really powerful tool.
During your therapy.
On that note,
I'd love to share some Reiki with you right now.
Reiki is just sending love through my heart,
Through the universe,
Through my heart,
Through my hands to you.
It's an energetic connection just steeped in love.
Sorry.
If you'd like to join me.
You could put your hands up too if you'd like.
To feel that kind of receiving the energy.
It's up to you,
Whatever feels comfortable.
Close your eyes.
If you feel safe to do so and just take some.
Just some comfy breaths.
Just breathing like you normally would,
Whatever feels right for you.
My hands were already buzzing with the energy.
I'm honoured to be sharing this moment with you right now.
Through the universe,
Through my heart,
Through my hands,
I am sending love to you.
I'm sending peace.
Healing.
The strength to be vulnerable.
The courage to surrender.
An open heart.
So wide it fills you with wonder.
My heart and your heart right now,
Energetic flowers open wide.
Beating.
Breathing.
Connecting.
Sending and receiving love.
Namaste.
