Respiratory Ailments
Healing Respiratory System Ailments
ASTHMA, PNEUMONIA, HYPERVENTILATION, BRONCHITIS
The Lungs
The normal process of breathing – the inhalation and expiration of air is carried out automatically by the nervous system, whether we are awake, asleep and/or even unconscious. The air is drawn down through the windpipe (the Trachea) and enters the lungs where it divides into two namely the right and left bronchi, which some say looks like an upside down tree inside each lung.
To breathe means to take in life. We take our first breath in this world when we are born and separated from our mother. This comes as a shock to most babies and it is the time that we assert our separation from our mother. This is also the first time that we recognise that we are indeed separated. If this process was traumatic in any way, it is recorded in our subconscious and will continually haunt us until we resolve it within the psyche. This haunting can influence us in moments of transition later on in life, including the extent we are able to relax and meet change later on in life.
The process of breathing means to take in and then to give out. It underlies the extent that sees us as independent. We breathe in, knowing that we can breathe out. We also know that when we breathe in that we can always take in another breath at a later stage. However, if there is a fear, or any fear that block this automatic process, be it in any form or sense that the breath is not a friend but a foe, then breathing difficulties may develop. Children who have been rejected or let down by parents (and especially their mothers) can lose this trust. This may also happen to adults who have experienced abuse, life threatening situations and/or the loss of a loved one.
The ailments that affect the lungs is where we manifest difficulties connected to taking in life or wanting to push it away, living life for ourselves rather than letting someone else have power over us or as is classically spoken, “giving away our power”. Breath intimately responds to our inner most feelings. They can be seen or felt as short and shallow at times of stress or panic or long and deep when we suddenly see and understand or when we are relaxed. Great gulping of air generally reflects when we feel sadness and grief. This reflects how it is when we are gulping for air when we are trying to take in life in a situation that is making us distraught.
Asthma
The classical case with an asthma attack is that we have difficulty in breathing out, a construction that makes us feel that we are fighting to get the air out so that we can breathe in again, i.e. to take in life!! Attacks come on in various forms - one can be to an emotional stimulus (here it can be stress, over powering, not feeling heard, can’t express our feelings adequately or at all or just plain fear), another can be due to crying or laughing or an allergy / pollen stimulus. Heavily polluted environments (such as that of a burning type power station) can also bring on asthma. There are often high incidences of asthma reported, in such areas.
As we know pollution cannot account for all incidences of asthma. As has been mentioned above often the emotional stimulus is responsible for the many instances of asthma. In young children there are two main aspects to this. The one is the aspect of our relationship to our mother as the breath is symbolic of us stating our separation from our mother. This can cause anxiety when the child is subjected to becoming emotionally separate and physically separated from their mother at a very early age. This often happens in the case of a single parent and the child has to see to itself in its day-to-day activities. This seems to indicate a high degree if independence at a very early age – perhaps to early and this can lead to the child feeling emotionally insecure.
Other factors that also play a part in this kind of relationship are financial pressures (where the child feels that there is never enough for them they always have to do without while others get), that they have housing problems where they live (they often feel that they have to share with others, that they do not have space for them selves, that there is no space in the world for them, due to the single parent that there is not enough for them). All these manifest themselves in social issues deeply affecting our feelings of independence and therefore may affect our breathing.
The other aspect (in young children) is where the mother feels that she should show/demonstrate her love or be very loving to the child to the extend that there is a tendency to smother or dominate (almost to the extent that she wants to breathe for the child), rather than letting the child want to discover life for themselves, within the loving balanced guidance of the mother’s care. This is the classic case where the boundaries between mother and child are really blurred, leading to a repressed dependence on mother.
Extraneous events to the child where the separation from mother is felt within the child, such as leaving home, getting married, graduation from school, the birth of a sibling, etc. can also suddenly trigger an asthmatic attack. The attack almost seems to resemble a secret longing to get back into the womb somehow and to feel safe again.
In adults the situation is slightly different. Pressures from too much work, too much responsibility, a smothering boss or over demanding relatives, can contribute to an attack of asthma coming on. This is where we feel that we are unable to breathe for ourselves, unable to express our inner most feelings and our feelings of suffocation or helplessness. Stress relating to pressure to succeed, pressure to pay the bills, provide for others such as our family, can also contributes to us having an asthma attack. This is usually accompanied with the feeling of having to do it all alone – a struggle for breath of our own.
The second very important part of asthma is the desire to express ourselves but we have a huge inability to do so. This is generally connected to some fear that we have encountered in our growing years where the expression of ourselves was frowned upon, not encouraged, suppressed and/or criticised. This often leads to feelings of sadness or an inability to access inner feelings. This is also reflected in the breathing pattern where the person holds their breath when trying to express what is going on, on the inside of themselves. As is known we need the outbreath to express or speak and an inability to breathe out implies that this expression is being held back - this is a classic case of where the body is showing up what is going on the inside. There is a need to get something off of the chest, to release all of the emotion stored there, but the fear (can be fear of being criticised, no self-confidence, fear of authority, fear of being punished, fear of being reprimanded, etc.) of letting this emotion out or expressing it, is holding us back. This is often accompanied by a feeling of a silent scream, a longing or inner crying.
To get the emotions to arise in therapy we often ask the client to hold their breath and then watch for the effect. Once there, we apply certain techniques to release the pent-up feelings of longing to burst, to shout!
Attacks can also be triggered by emotional situations such as anger, being misunderstood, heated exchange with a parent or lover or through experiencing grief or loss. This is almost always due to an incident or event in our younger days where we experienced that we were not able to / unable to speak for ourselves. That longing gets held inside, especially where that expression is based on confusion or fear of the parents’ behaviour.
Allergies and asthma
Yes this can be a tricky one. An allergy is normally and over-reaction of the immune system. I think that generally the word over-reaction is crucial here. We need to really ask some pertinent questions to get to the real meaning of the allergy, namely:
Asthma at the very core is about trusting and therefore letting go. The fundamental thing to understand about asthma is the fear that we have, that of complete lack of trust and a fear that the breath we breathe out will not come back in. When we breathe in we are in control, while breathing out demands from us to surrender and to trust that the breath will be there for us when we need it. This is reflected in the need to know that we feel secure, that the world will support us and that we will receive the love that we need.
Pneumonia
This is about inflammation, about anger and/or about something deeply inflaming our feelings about breathing and taking in life. This could be something we are taking in from the outside or something within us that we cannot express or are unable to express. There is pain and exhaustion as well as hot feelings that are completely draining our energy. But we need to breathe to carry on living and so this leads us to ask some pertinent questions here, namely:
Pneumonia is often associated with a mystical or spiritual experience as there is a relationship between breath and the spirit. The process of going through pneumonia seems to open a mystical door, portal or window into another realm, where we often experience a spiritual connection through the distortion of our breathing. Our experience through this connection between the physical world and spirit world helps develop a deeper insight / connection into our spiritual self.
Bronchitis
This is an inflammation of the mucous membrane in the bronchial tubes. It typically causes bronchospasm and coughing and can be brought on by smoke from a wood fire, exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke, etc. The throat in its function is that of mediator between the inside and the outside world. It carries the air up and down into the lungs and the outside world. We also use this passage of air as our communication tool and means. So then bronchial problems often relate to not being able to share what it is we are really feeling and issues of separation or definition.
So again some really pertinent questions need to be asked here, namely:
This part of the body is a direct reflection of our independence, our separation from others and the fact that we have to stand and be seen for who we are. Any doubts or uncertainties and/or insecurities we may feel about being separate or alone can manifest here. Our inflammation or irritation can be a mask that covers deeper feelings of perhaps sadness, guilt or shame.
And again some pertinent questions can be asked here to explore further, namely:
Hyperventilation
This ones main culprit is normally stress. Here the problem is that we start breathing to rapidly and too shallow and as a result, there is an excessive loss of carbon dioxide in the body. This causes and imbalance in the acid and alkaline levels in the body, creating faintness, dizziness, confusion and feelings of unreality, panic attacks, headaches, tingling or numbness. This is normally due to unconscious fear and/or anxiety.
Again certain pertinent questions need to asked here, namely:
Positive thinking on it’s own will not solve all of your problems, however it is one of a series of things that we all have the power to implement which will get us on the path to leading the life we want.
ASTHMA, PNEUMONIA, HYPERVENTILATION, BRONCHITIS
The Lungs
The normal process of breathing – the inhalation and expiration of air is carried out automatically by the nervous system, whether we are awake, asleep and/or even unconscious. The air is drawn down through the windpipe (the Trachea) and enters the lungs where it divides into two namely the right and left bronchi, which some say looks like an upside down tree inside each lung.
To breathe means to take in life. We take our first breath in this world when we are born and separated from our mother. This comes as a shock to most babies and it is the time that we assert our separation from our mother. This is also the first time that we recognise that we are indeed separated. If this process was traumatic in any way, it is recorded in our subconscious and will continually haunt us until we resolve it within the psyche. This haunting can influence us in moments of transition later on in life, including the extent we are able to relax and meet change later on in life.
The process of breathing means to take in and then to give out. It underlies the extent that sees us as independent. We breathe in, knowing that we can breathe out. We also know that when we breathe in that we can always take in another breath at a later stage. However, if there is a fear, or any fear that block this automatic process, be it in any form or sense that the breath is not a friend but a foe, then breathing difficulties may develop. Children who have been rejected or let down by parents (and especially their mothers) can lose this trust. This may also happen to adults who have experienced abuse, life threatening situations and/or the loss of a loved one.
The ailments that affect the lungs is where we manifest difficulties connected to taking in life or wanting to push it away, living life for ourselves rather than letting someone else have power over us or as is classically spoken, “giving away our power”. Breath intimately responds to our inner most feelings. They can be seen or felt as short and shallow at times of stress or panic or long and deep when we suddenly see and understand or when we are relaxed. Great gulping of air generally reflects when we feel sadness and grief. This reflects how it is when we are gulping for air when we are trying to take in life in a situation that is making us distraught.
Asthma
The classical case with an asthma attack is that we have difficulty in breathing out, a construction that makes us feel that we are fighting to get the air out so that we can breathe in again, i.e. to take in life!! Attacks come on in various forms - one can be to an emotional stimulus (here it can be stress, over powering, not feeling heard, can’t express our feelings adequately or at all or just plain fear), another can be due to crying or laughing or an allergy / pollen stimulus. Heavily polluted environments (such as that of a burning type power station) can also bring on asthma. There are often high incidences of asthma reported, in such areas.
As we know pollution cannot account for all incidences of asthma. As has been mentioned above often the emotional stimulus is responsible for the many instances of asthma. In young children there are two main aspects to this. The one is the aspect of our relationship to our mother as the breath is symbolic of us stating our separation from our mother. This can cause anxiety when the child is subjected to becoming emotionally separate and physically separated from their mother at a very early age. This often happens in the case of a single parent and the child has to see to itself in its day-to-day activities. This seems to indicate a high degree if independence at a very early age – perhaps to early and this can lead to the child feeling emotionally insecure.
Other factors that also play a part in this kind of relationship are financial pressures (where the child feels that there is never enough for them they always have to do without while others get), that they have housing problems where they live (they often feel that they have to share with others, that they do not have space for them selves, that there is no space in the world for them, due to the single parent that there is not enough for them). All these manifest themselves in social issues deeply affecting our feelings of independence and therefore may affect our breathing.
The other aspect (in young children) is where the mother feels that she should show/demonstrate her love or be very loving to the child to the extend that there is a tendency to smother or dominate (almost to the extent that she wants to breathe for the child), rather than letting the child want to discover life for themselves, within the loving balanced guidance of the mother’s care. This is the classic case where the boundaries between mother and child are really blurred, leading to a repressed dependence on mother.
Extraneous events to the child where the separation from mother is felt within the child, such as leaving home, getting married, graduation from school, the birth of a sibling, etc. can also suddenly trigger an asthmatic attack. The attack almost seems to resemble a secret longing to get back into the womb somehow and to feel safe again.
In adults the situation is slightly different. Pressures from too much work, too much responsibility, a smothering boss or over demanding relatives, can contribute to an attack of asthma coming on. This is where we feel that we are unable to breathe for ourselves, unable to express our inner most feelings and our feelings of suffocation or helplessness. Stress relating to pressure to succeed, pressure to pay the bills, provide for others such as our family, can also contributes to us having an asthma attack. This is usually accompanied with the feeling of having to do it all alone – a struggle for breath of our own.
The second very important part of asthma is the desire to express ourselves but we have a huge inability to do so. This is generally connected to some fear that we have encountered in our growing years where the expression of ourselves was frowned upon, not encouraged, suppressed and/or criticised. This often leads to feelings of sadness or an inability to access inner feelings. This is also reflected in the breathing pattern where the person holds their breath when trying to express what is going on, on the inside of themselves. As is known we need the outbreath to express or speak and an inability to breathe out implies that this expression is being held back - this is a classic case of where the body is showing up what is going on the inside. There is a need to get something off of the chest, to release all of the emotion stored there, but the fear (can be fear of being criticised, no self-confidence, fear of authority, fear of being punished, fear of being reprimanded, etc.) of letting this emotion out or expressing it, is holding us back. This is often accompanied by a feeling of a silent scream, a longing or inner crying.
To get the emotions to arise in therapy we often ask the client to hold their breath and then watch for the effect. Once there, we apply certain techniques to release the pent-up feelings of longing to burst, to shout!
Attacks can also be triggered by emotional situations such as anger, being misunderstood, heated exchange with a parent or lover or through experiencing grief or loss. This is almost always due to an incident or event in our younger days where we experienced that we were not able to / unable to speak for ourselves. That longing gets held inside, especially where that expression is based on confusion or fear of the parents’ behaviour.
Allergies and asthma
Yes this can be a tricky one. An allergy is normally and over-reaction of the immune system. I think that generally the word over-reaction is crucial here. We need to really ask some pertinent questions to get to the real meaning of the allergy, namely:
- Is there something or someone who is causing you to over-react?
- Do you feel that your boundaries have been lost?
- How can you re-assert your boundaries in a positive way, without compromising yourself?
Asthma at the very core is about trusting and therefore letting go. The fundamental thing to understand about asthma is the fear that we have, that of complete lack of trust and a fear that the breath we breathe out will not come back in. When we breathe in we are in control, while breathing out demands from us to surrender and to trust that the breath will be there for us when we need it. This is reflected in the need to know that we feel secure, that the world will support us and that we will receive the love that we need.
Pneumonia
This is about inflammation, about anger and/or about something deeply inflaming our feelings about breathing and taking in life. This could be something we are taking in from the outside or something within us that we cannot express or are unable to express. There is pain and exhaustion as well as hot feelings that are completely draining our energy. But we need to breathe to carry on living and so this leads us to ask some pertinent questions here, namely:
- Is there a longing to take some time out, to stop or to just be there for your self?
- Are you feeling exhausted or overwhelmed by the burden of having to cope and keep going?
- Do you need help but are unable to ask for it, do you feel that you are not entitled to ask for it and/or don’t deserve it?
- Do you feel knocked about, as if some one has knocked the wind out from you?
Pneumonia is often associated with a mystical or spiritual experience as there is a relationship between breath and the spirit. The process of going through pneumonia seems to open a mystical door, portal or window into another realm, where we often experience a spiritual connection through the distortion of our breathing. Our experience through this connection between the physical world and spirit world helps develop a deeper insight / connection into our spiritual self.
Bronchitis
This is an inflammation of the mucous membrane in the bronchial tubes. It typically causes bronchospasm and coughing and can be brought on by smoke from a wood fire, exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke, etc. The throat in its function is that of mediator between the inside and the outside world. It carries the air up and down into the lungs and the outside world. We also use this passage of air as our communication tool and means. So then bronchial problems often relate to not being able to share what it is we are really feeling and issues of separation or definition.
So again some really pertinent questions need to be asked here, namely:
- Do you need to get something off of your chest?
- What do you need to release, to let go of?
- Do you feel smothered by someone?
- Are you coughing up mucous rather than sharing your feelings?
- Is there something irritating you or is painful, which you need to externalise?
- Are you irritated with yourself in some way and you are not expressing it?
- Perhaps you feel that you have not done enough or said something regrettable?
- Are you feeling overwhelmed by the circumstances around you?
- Are you finding it difficult to maintain your sense of individuality?
This part of the body is a direct reflection of our independence, our separation from others and the fact that we have to stand and be seen for who we are. Any doubts or uncertainties and/or insecurities we may feel about being separate or alone can manifest here. Our inflammation or irritation can be a mask that covers deeper feelings of perhaps sadness, guilt or shame.
And again some pertinent questions can be asked here to explore further, namely:
- Are you experiencing conflicts about asserting your independence or boundaries? (This often happens between a parent and child being and is reflected in the child where they are trying to assert their independence.)
- Have you recently ended an emotionally dependent relationship?
- Are you feeling overwhelmed by what you are taking in?
Hyperventilation
This ones main culprit is normally stress. Here the problem is that we start breathing to rapidly and too shallow and as a result, there is an excessive loss of carbon dioxide in the body. This causes and imbalance in the acid and alkaline levels in the body, creating faintness, dizziness, confusion and feelings of unreality, panic attacks, headaches, tingling or numbness. This is normally due to unconscious fear and/or anxiety.
Again certain pertinent questions need to asked here, namely:
- Where is the imbalance in your life?
- Are you giving out too much to others and need to give you more?
- Are you fearful of taking life in, to breathe in deeply or to be relaxed?
- Do you need to be taught how to breathe deeply using your abdominal muscles and to relax deeply?
Positive thinking on it’s own will not solve all of your problems, however it is one of a series of things that we all have the power to implement which will get us on the path to leading the life we want.