Flow: Transitional Space

It is September. Without even indulging in the pumpkin spice revolution it is also clear to me that it is Fall.

What I notice is that people are thinking of what we want to learn, of what they'd like to change. I am speaking with more and more people who feel like something can change, right now. This happens all the time in transitional periods but especially as we head into Fall. The Fall is its very own transitional space.

As voice users who seek to fully embody how our voices create impact in the world, this is pretty exciting. But rather than let ourselves float in the possibilities (though that can be fun), I'd love for us to ground ourselves in the tangible.

This is a great time to think about your breathing. Is your breath sustaining the demands upon it? Have you worked specifically on the relationship between breath and action recently? Is the quality of your breathing reflected in the quality of your sound?

On offer today is to take your breathing on a shake-down cruise.

Try to exert yourself and notice how your breathing responds. Notice especially if the exertion creates a stitch in your side or other ancillary sensations. Sustain a comfortable pitch on an /u/ vowel and listen for regularity in the flow, allow breath to enter, and repeat -- can you improve upon it. Do a counted inhalation and exhalation. Breathing in for 5 counts and out for 5 counts for example -- making sure you have exhaled all of the air in the counts allotted.

Decide if and where your breathing needs to support you better and work on it. Breath work was made for transitional spaces.