November/December 2006

editorial

Breathing lessons

By RAVI DYKEMA

Many years ago, after a month-long journey across the Middle East and Asia, I awoke one morning on a hard thin futon surrounded by mosquito net. Wearing only a loin cloth, I joined about 50 other men and women at sunrise on a rooftop patio to learn about pranayama (yoga breathing) from a rotund white-bearded fellow dressed in an orange skirt.

The very first technique our teacher taught on that first day of a six-month-long training was diaphragmatic breathing. Since that day 35 years ago I have watched as breathing practices have grown from total obscurity in the alternative and conventional medical worlds to a respected place at the table. And that respect has been well-earned. Breathing practices change your nervous system so dramatically that you can go from anxious and combative to calm and considerate in seconds.

People in the fields of Yoga and somatic psychology have been spreading breathing-training techniques all these years. And two of the giants in this movement are Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D., and Gay Hendricks, Ph.D. I felt privileged to speak with Kathlyn Hendricks recently about her and her husband’s discoveries and experience, and especially about their work with couples’ intimacy. (See, “Changing the Word One Breath at a Time,” .)

My discussion with Kathlyn Hendricks directly relates to an interview I printed three issues ago (March-April 2006) with Stephen Porges, Ph.D. about his new theory of the nervous system called the polyvegal theory. Dr. Porges gives you some fascinating background on many of the techniques the Dr’s. Hendricks have developed (available on our website, Nexuspub.com, click on “articles”).

The Hendricks’ are also two of the creators of the Spiritual Cinema Circle and the Transformational Book Circle, and through the Cinema Circle are producers of the wonderful movie, “Conversations with God” (reviewed last issue and in theaters now). The Hendricks’ are a rare breed, rising to prominence in the field of psychology, and then becoming successful entrepreneurs in companies who’s products reach many people around the globe. They are, in my opinion, among the leaders-of-change to watch in the coming years.

Speaking of leaders of change, we at Nexus are thrilled to be creating an event that will bring together a remarkable group of such leaders and make them available to you in person. It is the Nexus Holistic Expo in Boulder, February 10 and 11 (see ad on page 63, or go to NexusHolisticExpo.com). We plan to produce a similar event in Denver at a future date.

Our speakers include four who have been interviewed in these pages: William Arntz, the creator of the film, “What the *&%# do We Know!?” (Jan.-Feb. ’05), Marc Ian Barasch, author of Field Notes on the Compassionate Life (July-Aug. ’05), John Douillard, D.C., author of, Perfect Health for Kids and The Encyclopedia of Ayurvedic Massage (May-June 1995), and Jonathan Goldman, author of, Healing Sounds, the Power of Harmonics (Mar.-Apr. ’03). The keynote speaker for the Nexus Holistic Expo in February will be Larry Dossey, M.D., and an interview with him will appear in the January-February issue.

Other speakers include Ron Rosedale, M.D. (The Rosedale Diet), Brigitte Mars (Beauty by Nature; Rawsome!; Sex, Love and Health), and Konrad Steffen, Ph.D. (a prominent climate scientist). Roshen Bhartiya and Ty Burhoe will perform (sitar and tabla), as will Chaitanya Kabir (leading kirtan). Can you understand why we are so excited!?

I’ll finish with a tribute to Nan McGinnis, whose role at Nexus I took over recently in a restructuring. Nan worked here for 21 years and has created much of the look and quality of this magazine. She was a delight to work with and I will miss her. We wish her well on her path.