Cardiovascular and respiratory system
Breathing
Breathing changes[1]
Breathwork[2]
The Vagus Nerve is the 10th Cranial Nerve (CN X), and is the main parasympathetic nerve, controlling heart, lungs and digestive tract. The CNX reduces resting heart beat. It stimulates digestion. VN stimulation through neurostimulation in the chest is used for the treatment of clinically resistant depression. Interestingly, Vagal maneuvers can also have similar effects, and many of these can be found in techniques from various emergent traditions (like pranayama, Wim Hof, yoga, tantric mahamudra (tummo), holotropic breathwork, singing, etc.) and other practices like sauna, heat-cold alternation, etc., which gives some insight into their mode of action as antidepressants! Vagal maneuvers include:
- Cold immersion, particularly of the face
- Breath retention: "In line with the myriad ways breathwork can be practiced in general, it is also possible for these techniques to use breath holding (known as Kumbhaka) and muscle locks (Bhanda) after rounds (Saraswati, 1994). This aspect of retention paired with fast breathing, and the fact that pranayama practitioners may be encouraged to take cold baths (Sivananda, 1962), reinforces the notion that the modern-day WHM has palpable roots in yogic pranayama along with Buddhist Tummo meditation."
- "The intentional regulation of respiration is one of two main mechanisms (the other being postural/muscle control and relaxation) through which one can volitionally alter autonomic activity, which regulates usually uncontrollable inner bodily functions."
- Fincham, G. W., Kartar, A., Uthaug, M. V., Anderson, B., Hall, L., Nagai, Y., Critchley, H., & Colasanti, A. (2023). High ventilation breathwork practices: An overview of their effects, mechanisms, and considerations for clinical applications. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 155, 105453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105453
- Contracting the abdominal muscles as if one was gonna poop: this is used in the "Vase" practice in tantric mahamudra, combined with breath retention
Heart
Cardiophenomenology
An approach inspired by neurophenomenology which seeks correlations between cardiac physiology and subjective experiences — of emotions in particular. Many R/S/M traditions consider the heart to be the correlate of a deeper level of consciousness and health, with the brain being the correlate of a more superficial, habitual, action-related consciousness, with the aim of contemplative practice being to move from the latter to the former. Dzogchen[3], Orthodox Christianity (Prayer of the heart, prayer dropping to the heart)[4][5], Sacred Heart of Jesus, etc.
Heart-brain axis[6]
References
- ↑ Sparby, T. (2019). Fear, Bliss, and Breathing Changes during Meditation: A Case Study of a Transformative Experience. Mind and Matter, 17(1), 7–35. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335207862_Fear_Bliss_and_Breathing_Changes_during_Meditation_A_Case_Study_of_a_Transformative_Experience
- ↑ Fincham, G. W., Kartar, A., Uthaug, M. V., Anderson, B., Hall, L., Nagai, Y., Critchley, H., & Colasanti, A. (2023). High ventilation breathwork practices: An overview of their effects, mechanisms, and considerations for clinical applications. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 155, 105453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105453
- ↑ Gurung, G. S. (2019). Self-arising three-fold embodiment of enlightenment. Bright Alliance.
- ↑ Depraz, N., & Desmidt, T. (2015). Cardiophénoménologie [Cardiophenomenology]. Les Cahiers philosophiques de Strasbourg, 38, 47–83. https://doi.org/10.4000/cps.464
- ↑ Vlachos, H., Rōmanidēs, I. S., & Mavromichali, E. (2012). Empirical dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: according to the spoken teaching of Father John Romanides (1st ed.). Birth of the Theotokos Monastery.
- ↑ Xue, T., Chiao, B., Xu, T., et al., The heart-brain axis: a proteomics study of meditation on the cardiovascular system of Tibetan monks. EBioMedicine 2022;80:104026.doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104026pmid:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35576643