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Meditation
“The more subtle our breath is, the more peaceful our mind and body will be.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh
Meditation, particularly reduced breathing meditation, can help balance the mind/body connection, easing suffering and healing the mind and body. By focusing on the physiological cause of the uncontrolled thinking that creates anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions, which is a lack of oxygen in the brain, meditators can make rapid progress into understanding the nature of the mind.
Since this oxygen deficiency is caused by loss of carbon dioxide due to over-breathing, my goal is to teach my clients techniques designed to reprogram the brain to automatically breathe more subtly. Subtle breathing increases carbon dioxide levels, which enables more oxygen to be delivered to the cells of the brain, which greatly reduces the volume and intensity of thoughts.
Increasing oxygen at the cellular level is essential because this addresses the root cause of uncontrolled thinking: the random and asynchronous firing of cortical neurons due to lack of oxygen in the brain. In simpler terms, when your brain lacks oxygen, thoughts are completely uncontrolled. The properly oxygenated brain enters a state of effortless mindfulness, and can choose to think what it wants, when it wants, or it can choose to remain free from thought.
My teaching approach is based on the fact that your natural state is to be free from anxiety, and this has just been covered up by layers of mental noise, caused by poor breathing habits. When the brain is trained to breath subtly, anxiety fades away and you will find that you already possess all the wisdom you need inside yourself.
Although I have been informally teaching breathwork and meditation to friends and family for the last five years, I decided to step into the arena and teach to the public in 2022; aside from wanting to help others on their spiritual path, I wanted to address the anxiety epidemic with a little known but extremely effective tool, subtle breathing.
My teaching approach is informed by Taoism, Zen, Dzogchen and Mahamudra, and the Buteyko Breathing technique, but I do not claim any lineage. I have had no formal teachers, and I am, as they say in Zen, “self-certified.”
In my heart of hearts, I am Taoist, and I know that if you relax and let go, the Tao will carry you to Completion.
I teach what has been described as the direct way, or the sudden way. It is described in the Chinese classic, “The Secret of the Golden Flower," as the backward-flowing method.
I think the best reason to meditate is because you enjoy meditating, and so I teach an easy to learn Taoist breathing technique that makes meditation highly enjoyable, effortlessly stilling the mind and leapfrogging over the more difficult early stages encountered in mainstream meditation instruction. Sometimes I describe this as the Easy Way to meditate.
In addition to breathwork and meditation, I also advise clients on the use of various spiritual technologies that have the potential to accelerate awakening, including but not limited to: koans, the I Ching, dream yoga, qigong, and Taoist sexual alchemy.
cary studio meditation
Located in a residential neighborhood, the Cary Studio offers a relaxing space for one-on-one coaching, as well as small group classes and workshops. Offerings include: guided meditations, breathwork coaching and education, spiritual guidance, and more.
Feel free to email to schedule your session with Michael.
Please be advised that stairs are the only way to access the Cary Studio. A full restroom is also available. Enjoy sipping hot tea along with any session in the Cary Studio.
Guided journey meditation
in wake forest
Wake Forest Guided Journey Meditation Classes
In-person guided journey meditation classes are held weekly at Peace in the Forest on Tuesday mornings at 10am and Thursday evenings at 7pm. My wife Amy and I guide you through a visual journey aiding your relaxation and spiritual development. Amy opens the class with a seated, few minute, gentle mind-body centering and I share a guided meditation lasting about 45 minutes. Sound bowls, tibetan bowls are also enjoyed throughout. Every class is a different "journey."
Peace in the Forest is located at 701 N. Main St., near downtown Wake Forest. Find out more and sign up here.
What is Buteyko Breathing?
Buteyko (pronounced Bu-tay-ko) is a breathing technique that promotes nose-breathing and reducing the amount of air taken in while inhaling.
For example, many people with breathing problems tend to respond to everyday situations such as walking uphill or talking on the telephone by automatically breathing more than is necessary. This is called over-breathing or hyper-ventilating.
The Buteyko exercises provide you with the skills to be able to breathe correctly in these situations, and this prevents the development of a vicious cycle of over-breathing which can result in breathlessness, wheezing or coughing.
Buteyko breathing was developed in the 1950s by a Ukrainian physiologist named Konstantin Buteyko, who believed that numerous illnesses were caused by hyperventilation or a chronically increased respiration rate.
Email me with any questions you may have, or to get started in improving your mental health journey.