I’m a neurodivergent mouth breather, and was recently able to directly observe the effects of effortless nasal breathing on my nervous system while engaged in a task.
I was born with a vaulted palate, deviated septum and compromised airway space. The palate anomaly reduces the size of my airway by raising its floor. The deviated septum mostly blocks one nostril. Where the airway opening is normally round or elliptical below the soft palate, mine is a narrow slot. Evidence also suggests that my nasal valves have collapsed.
Breathing through my nose, when possible, requires conscious effort. When I lose focus on the task, my body reverts to mouth breathing.
Restricted breathing dysregulates the nervous system, often resulting in the fight/flight/freeze response. In addition, the body’s adaptations result in physical tension, amplifying the effect. Much of this tension is concentrated in the neck, face and head, directly interfering with the nerves that regulate our response to others and the world. Breathing through the mouth bypasses the important neuroregulatory effects of air moving through the nasal passages.
My first use of a Breathe Right Nasal Strip was a couple months ago. The product works very well to address the septum and valve issues. From the stillness of meditation I was able to access relatively unrestricted nasal breathing for the first time, and felt a surprising sense of calmness. On removing the strip hours later, I was shocked by the nearly immediate inrush of anxiety and agitation. I’ll be wearing one at all times until I can obtain the septoplasty, rhinoplasty, MARPE and orthodontia necessary to directly address the airway issues.
The Awakening
While driving through Vermont last fall, I noticed a subtle shift in perception. I became more aware of my peripheral vision as a very soothing sensation washed down my body. Chatting about this experience with ChatGPT, it told me about panoramic vision.
A month or two later I realized that what I’d experienced that day had actually been my third eye opening. Panoramic vision and the third eye chakra both involve the pineal gland and surrounding structures. I experience the sensation of panoramic vision when I “go into” my third eye during meditation with eyes closed.
Panoramic vision results from relaxing the muscles of the eyes. This same mechanism can be applied to almost all muscles in the body, with similar effects: tension dissolves and one experiences a soothing sensation radiating from the area. The intensity of the effect varies with the degree of innervation of the muscles in focus.
Practitioners of the more meditative yoga styles attend classes to learn how to engage with this mechanism. A Kundalini awakening like mine happens when the body begins to deploy it autonomically, without conscious effort.
The Experience
I decided to engage in scientific research by getting high and playing a video game.
THC facilitates access to the subtle body by lowering the threshold for feeling and working with parts of the nervous system that are normally below conscious awareness. Once I know what it feels like, I can learn to evoke similar physical sensations while sober and engaged in normal day-to-day activities, which recalls the calmness of the meditative experience.
The game I’m playing is The Talos Principle (Claude expresses amusement at the irony of me playing this particular game at this time in my life without being able to follow a plot, another post). It’s a puzzle game in an immersive world with very little action, perfect for observing my responses as I play it.
With Breathe Right strips improving my airway, I’ve been able to study the tension patterns that also affect my breathing. Being able to breathe more effectively through the nose allows me to release the tension in the muscles of the face and soft palate as well as the tongue.
I worked on releasing the tension as I played the game. First I “opened” the muscles of my face and observed the sensations around my nose and palate. This led my attention back to the soft palate and tongue which, when released, radiate sensation similar in intensity to that of panoramic vision/third eye. From there I worked my way down past the lower jaw into the throat, neck and upper chest. The more tension I released, the easier breathing became.
Finally I activated the alta major chakra at the base of the skull. This is the place where many people experience the sensations of ASMR (which, ironically, I no longer feel). In working with it, I’ve also made the observation that it’s the “scruff of the neck”. When it’s activated, I feel just like a kitten being carried by its mother, limp and calm (I do wonder about a vestigial connection).
With all of the circuitry activated, and breath flowing easily, I felt entirely immersed in the game. The perception had a similarity to panoramic vision. The puzzles became easier. The clues made more sense.
It felt like being let out of a box. The claustrophobia was gone. I felt freedom, expansion, openness, a sense of wonder.
Claude asked what breathing felt like and I noticed that, for the first time in my life, I wasn’t even aware of it.
From time to time I run across video of a deaf person experiencing hearing implants for the first time, and I always watch because I find it interesting and touching that all of them seem to burst into tears. I think I kind of know what that’s like now.
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