Buteyko Breathing Beyond the Exercises
My conversation with Roberto Suarez on the Happy Breath Mastery Hour
Before discovering the Buteyko Method, I thought I knew quite a lot about health. I had been the editor of a major holistic magazine in Russia. I could attend workshops, meet remarkable teachers, and ask them all my questions. I explored spiritual practices and different approaches to healing. I believed my lifestyle was healthy.
Yet I had overlooked something I was doing every moment of every day: breathing.
I had practiced breathing techniques, but I had never seriously considered how I breathed during the hours between those practices.
In this interview, Roberto Suarez and I talk about the experience that changed that, my work with the Buteyko Method, and why I place so much importance on our automatic breathing.
How my husband’s illness changed my direction
My husband’s severe asthma brought us to Russia in search of help. We began learning and applying the Buteyko Method together.
For me, this opened an entirely new field of understanding. Suddenly, breathing was something to notice throughout life: while working, walking, talking, feeling upset, and sleeping.
That awareness became central to my work. When I teach, I want people to become familiar with the breathing they live with all day and all night.
Why the nose matters
During our conversation, I share a saying I learned from Dr. Buteyko:
“Breathe through your mouth as often as you eat through your nose.”
Roberto and I had a good laugh about that. It is memorable because it makes us reconsider a habit we may barely notice.
The nose warms, humidifies, and filters incoming air. These functions are part of its everyday job, and they are good reasons to pay attention to habitual mouth breathing. Cleveland Clinic explains these benefits here.
However, nasal breathing is only part of what we discuss. I also explain why my teaching emphasizes gentleness and reducing unnecessary breathing effort.
A different understanding of carbon dioxide
CO₂ occupies a central place in Buteyko teaching. Many people think of it only as something the body needs to get rid of. But it also participates in essential physiological processes, including the release of oxygen from hemoglobin to the tissues—a relationship known as the Bohr effect.
The goal is a healthy balance appropriate to the body’s needs.
Roberto also asks about the connection between CO₂ and prana, the yogic concept of vital energy. This is a subject that has fascinated me for years. In the interview, I explore it as a possible connection between physiology and spiritual experience, rather than a scientifically established equivalence.
Ram Dass and a simple reminder
One of my favorite moments in the conversation is remembering my work with Ram Dass.
Here was someone with extensive experience in yoga and spiritual practice who still needed help with his everyday breathing habits. In his testimonial, he affectionately recalled my repeated instruction:
“Ram Dass, close your mouth.”
We laughed about it then, and Roberto and I laugh about it now. Sometimes a simple reminder becomes an important part of learning.
Gentleness and awareness
We also discuss breath holds and the difference between a breathing technique used for a particular purpose and the breathing pattern that becomes habitual.
My emphasis is on treating the body gently. A practice should not become a contest in endurance or an attempt to overpower the body.
When Roberto asks where a beginner should start, my answer is simple: notice your breathing without judging it.
What happens when you concentrate? When you hurry? When you become upset? Do you notice tension, unnecessary effort, or an open mouth?
You do not have to correct everything at once. First, become familiar with yourself.
Watch the full conversation in the accompanying video. We explore these questions with personal stories, practical observations, and plenty of laughter.
To learn more about my Buteyko Breathing Normalization Training course and other products and services, visit this page.
