The Art of Breathing and Centering: Discover the Powerful Gifts of the Air You Breathe! [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Gay Hendricks Ph.D. (Author, Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1989

Everyday, you breathe over 20,000 times! This automatic, unconscious action can be more than simply life-sustaining -- it can be life-enhancing. And if you suffer from mental or physical distress, you can use the breathing activities taught on this tape to heal yourself.

Over the last 20 years, the author had taught these proven effective methods to thousands of clients and workshop participants around the world. These exercises are easy to learn, require no special equipment and can be used anywhere. Manage stress and pain, boost energy, improve concentration and promote your overall well-being.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“You may think you know how to breathe. Gay Hendricks will show you there is more to learn.” —Andrew Weil, M.D., author of Natural Health, Natural Medicine

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Dr. Gay Hendricks is a professor at the University of Colorado, a psychologist and educator and the author of 12 books in his field. He has presented lectures and workshops to mental health professionals and educators in North America, Europe, and Asia. One of the early leaders in the field of body-mind integration, his books on the subject include The Centering Book, Learning to Love Yourself, and Centering and the Art of Intimacy.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio; Unabridged edition (June 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940687895
• ISBN-13: 978-0940687899
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,067,743 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Books on Cassette > Health, Mind & Body > Exercise

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Empty of meaningful content, November 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art of Breathing and Centering: Discover the Powerful Gifts of the Air You Breathe! (Audio Cassette)

When I began, a few years ago, on my search for spiritual growth, I soon picked up that breathwork, in all it's forms, was one of the key processes. I ordered 5 or 6 of the best reviewed books/tapes on the "art of breathing". Of these, the two by Gay Hendricks were, without a doubt, the most superficial and pointless.

He teaches - crudely - basic, abdominal breathing and that is just about it. Its not that abdominal breathing isn't useful, (most adults would benefit from adjusting their breathing so that their abdomen, not their chest, rises on the in-breath - the way that small children breath), it's that all the depth and subtlty that follows on from this is completely ignored.

The tapes are simplistic in the extreme. They are pointless, since there are far better tapes available through Amazon which cover the same ground as Gay Hendricks only more acurately and with more detail. They then go on to introduce the beautiful, extraordinary world of breathwork with many varied exercises.

I have found that changing one's basic nature and way of being in the world is very difficult. For things like changing the way we breathe - the way we move life force around our body and how our mind and breath can interact to form a powerful combination - I generally prefer audio tapes or videos. My number one favourite is "The Art of Breathing" by Nancy Zi. It is the Chinese system for mastering Chi 'i - breath life force. Available on this site is the combined video and book which outline 6 superb and detailed lessons in re-teaching your body to breathe and move life-energy around the body. Nothing too fancy or philosophical required, but presented with all the detail and knowledge one would expect from a Qi Gong master.

Also very highly recommended is Dr Andrew Weil's set of two tapes on breathing. He has found a simple, daily ten minute practice of simple breath techniques to be the most powerful single tool for change that he can recommend to his patients. The six exercises that he teaches are drawn from the Indian or Yogic tradition. Simple, easy to learn and getting right to the heart of the matter - change your body/mind with breath.

Also deserving very honourable mention is "Ken Cohen's guide to Healthy Breathing". Takes one through four stages, of which abdominal breathing is only the first, right through to a profound state of energy/body/breath awarness.

I realise that this is less a review about the GAy Hndricks tapes and more a recommendation to buy others. That is because there simply isn't much to say about Hendrick's work. They're plain bad. And the best way of illustrating that is to show what riches are alternatively available.

Happy breathing.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful, December 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art of Breathing and Centering: Discover the Powerful Gifts of the Air You Breathe! (Audio Cassette)

As someone who had chronic anxiety problems, and is now more or less over them, I have to credit this tape as one of the most useful therapeutic tools I used. It is something you can use virtually every minute of your waking day, and is astonishing in the subtle, yet powerful effect it has on your general state of being. Also, very simple to put into use.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Tape... I highly recommend it, June 26, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Art of Breathing and Centering: Discover the Powerful Gifts of the Air You Breathe! (Audio Cassette)

Gay Hendricks does a great job (in a wonderful voice) explaining various techniques to help you improve your breathing. First side, is an overview of why you should work on breath technique... second side has four exercises. I really like this tape a lot!