When fast breathing isn’t an option
Hey everyone, I’ve been working with the recorded breathing practice, and honestly, the pace feels way too fast for me. Even when I really push myself past what feels okay, I can only manage about half the suggested speed. When I try to keep up, my limbs start tingling and going numb, like I’m not getting enough air. Slow, deep breathing has always been my way of staying grounded. That became even more important after a time when basic movement, because of chronic pain, would make my heart race. A doctor dismissed what I was going through and blamed it on “inactivity” instead of listening. Since then, I’ve instinctively learned to keep my system calm, even during high-intensity exercise. I also have a nasal injury that physically makes fast breathing harder. All of this makes me wonder: How much of this is just my body? And how much is connected to trauma, masking, or being autistic? More broadly, how do we shape these practices to actually meet us, instead of feeling like we have to force our bodies into a certain rhythm? I’d love to hear from you: - Have you needed to slow the practice down? - How do you adjust it to meet your own pace and limits? - What helps you know when to push and when to pause? Thanks so much for sharing, if you feel like it.