na 2011), lower optical illusion factors (Telles and Maharanaet al. 2011), and increase interoceptive awareness and relaxed alertness (Joshi and Telles 2009). These effects follow both HFYB as well as slow breathing (lower air volume per minute) during meditation (Hirai 1973). Kukkuriya breath-work would be less applicable in meditation training for contextual reasons, but other forms of HFYB could greatly support meditation practice. Apart from slow breathing training (Hirai 1973; Mangalo 1988) for meditation, HFYB has a distinct number of benefits for preparing students of meditation in the capacity to focus attention and free the mind from distractions. Through these enhancements, the experiential aspects of meditation practice could progress in a shorter time than in training omitting HFYB. Acknowledgement The lead author would like to express gratitude to Dr. Christine Caldwell and Professor Michelle Quinlan of Naropa University for their encouragement to channel her passion for breath-work into my academic endeavors. Furthermore, this research was made possible by the contributing and supportive conversations with Dr. Christopher Gilbert and Dr. Bob Whitehouse. The support from her husband Theodore Wasserlein II, friend Christina Brux Mburu, and mentor Dr. Paul Berry was also instrumental. References Bhavanani, Ananda Balayogi, Madanmohan, and Kaviraja Udupa. 2003. “Acute Effect of Mukhbhastrika (A Yogic Bellows Type Breathing) On Reaction Time.” Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 47 (3): 297–300. Brown, Richard P., and Patricia L. Gerbarg. 2005a. “Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part I – Neurophysiologic Model.” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 11 (1): 189–201. Brown, Richard P., and Patricia L. Gerbarg. 2005b. “Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II – Clinical Applications and Guidelines.” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 11 (4): 711–717. Caldwell, Christine and Himmat Kaur Victoria. 2011. “Breathwork in Body Psychotherapy: Towards a More Unified Theory and Practice.” Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy 6 (2): 89–101. Ebert, Dietrich. 1989. Physiologische Aspekte des Yoga. Leipzig: Georg Thime. Gilbert, Christopher. 1999. “Yoga and Breathing.” Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 3 (1): 44–54. Hirai, Tomio. 1973. Psychophysiology of Zen. Tokyo: Autumn Press. Joshi, Meesha, and Shirley Telles. 2009. “A Nonrandomized Non-Naive Comparative Study of the Effects of Kapalabhati and Breath Awareness on Event-Related Potentials in Trained Yoga Practitioners.” The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Spirituality Studies 2 (1) Spring 2016 45
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