What is it about breath that makes people so flip out they haven’t got any to spare?
If you look at the Chinese medicine 5 element system: wood, fire, water, metal, earth,
add in the air
from Earth, Wind, and Fire,
and you get:
our body’s warmed-air-breathing plus blood circulation.
aka
survival.
Cool.
In, out, and around.
Use it up living.
Replace it.
First boil everything down to the basics,
and then do something about it.
Yup.
And although I freely admit, I only follow the five elements when it to my advantage,
sorry to those of you who diligently care for your bodies
in the esoteric style,
I do have to concede that –
when you follow the 5 elements,
and all of the other Zone Diet, Air Force Diet, Low Carb,
eat only 2 bags of potato chip diets out there on the market-
well, maybe not the potato chip thing,
that would be irresponsible, right?
I do find myself feeling slightly more energetic.
Gasp.
Or….
you can just do a whole lot of breathing when you get up in the morning-
that’s dragon’s breath,
then sing somewhere for a couple of hours-
that’s celestial angels’ breath, thank you very much, or…
and here a quick pause for a footnote-
doctors over here actually send patients to singers like me,
it’s that or primal scream therapy-
or laugh yoga,
their choice, not mine,
to free the breathing apparatus,
circulate the blood,
raise the hormone level,
help with tumors-
yes, I am serious,
and,
if you join an a capella choir,
increase your hearing and concentration.
(Not that I dislike instruments,
but after being knocked off a stage once
by sudden pounding from a set of tympani right behind me
during a performance of Handel’s Messiah…
yes it did happen,
and
yes, this is one of the things that happens when you breathe right.
So where were we-
oh yes,
dragon’s breath,
celestial breath,
writer’s breath-
that moment when you are living with your character,
breathing along with each breath she takes,
and discover that your heroine has a pulse,
as does each of your characters,
easily measurable with a metronome,
which can be set, for real,
to get you back to that tempo the next morning,
when you get up,
kill your dragon’s breath with meditation,
or prayer,
and black tea,
add in a little celestial breath,
rockin’ to the beach boys is good, good, good,
and go for it-
Writer’s breath.
Metronome setting 110 mm for a conductor character of mine,
about 130 for a fast-movin’ teacher.
Oh, about the save your breath…
that’s for all the worthless computer stalkers out there.
I would be happy to give you therapy:
Just get a life.
And breathe for once.
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Quahog on a Tightrope 