I had felt terribly fatigued as 2021 started, and I promised myself I’d slow down even more…

and just like that, I found myself battling what the tests categorized as a “mild” form of Covid.

As far as I was concerned, there was nothing mild about it. 

Luckily, my daily awareness group was starting a sequence of Feldenkrais breathing lessons just as my breath was faltering. To say I was grateful to the point of tears is not an exaggeration. Catching my breath was proving to be hard work.

The general advice for covid patients is to kneel forward in order to support the lungs in their struggle to combat covid. It did not feel comfortable or doable for me as I would’ve needed to be upside down for hours on end.

So I relied on the awareness through movement (ATM®) lessons that were starting.

They were about short, shallow inhales that expanded the lungs upwards and backwards. The lesson sequence came over a span of 4 days and provided my lungs with much needed support.

Now I’m well and covid-free, I would like to share with you a short breathing audio lesson. 

It is not meant as a teaching, but more like a guide to support your lungs and your precious breath through this time. 

Its meant feel doable and not too demanding.

As requested, you will find an English and Arabic track, in the Egyptian dialect.

I would like to invite you to use and disseminate these recordings as you see fit. 

These are not therapies but aides. 

Not “lessons” as much as they are explorations. 

As I mentioned in that February email, during Covid they were god sends.

آلية الشهيق و الزفير.m4a (7,221K)

Path and Volume of Breath.m4a (5,928K)

I welcome all manners of feedback. So, please, don’t hold back. 

———

Just before falling ill I had written a descriptive post about the ribs and their joints, joints that within a week of writing that post were inflamed and keeping me awake. Having them so clear in my image of myself helped me dramatically.  I had also posted a short exploration of the ribs and cartilages that I found expansive and relaxing.T ake a look at the posts and let me know if they clarify something about your chest for you. I’ve been asked to write them in English, let me know about the Arabic for now.