Brain Matters S13.E09: Mindful Breathwork

[00:00:00] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show host or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. [00:00:42] Speaker B: Okay, here we go. It's six o' clock and time again for Brain Matters, the official radio show of the UA Counseling Center. We are broadcasting from the campus of the University of Alabama. Good evening. My name is Dr. BJ Gunther and I'm the host of the show along with my colleague and producer, Katherine Howell. And in case you don't know, this show is about mental and physical health issues that affect college students and in particular UA students. So you can listen to us each Tuesday night at 6pm on 90.7 FM or you can listen online at WVUAFM UA. Edu. You can also download one of your favorite apps to listen to us live. I like the MyTuner radio app and just type in WVUAFM 90.7 and you'll find us there. Also, we've got I was telling Katherine before we started the show, we've got one show left and it's a dude and I'm so excited about it. I'll announce that at the end. But if you have any ideas for upcoming shows. We don't do shows in the summer, so we'll take a break and then we'll be back in the fall. But I need some help with ideas for show topics. If you have any ideas, email those to me@brain mattersradiovuafmua.edu and I'll consider using your show topic idea. I'll try to remember to give out this email address periodically throughout the show. But today I'm interested in this topic so much because I I have so many students who can really use it right now. When this show airs, we're probably going to be in dead week or finals week and I think this show would be so helpful for what we're going to talk about today. We're talking about something that so many college students struggle with, but they don't always talk about it enough and that's stress, feeling overwhelmed, and how to actually manage it in a healthy way. I'm really excited to introduce our guest today, Tanmayi Naik. Tanmayi is a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry here at the University Roll Tide and she's the president of Sky Campus Happiness at ua. Through her work, she helps students, faculty and staff learn practical tools for managing stress, building positive social connections and improving overall well being, especially through mindful breath, work and meditation. What's really powerful is that it isn't just academic for her. She's been practicing these techniques since high school and has experienced firsthand how improve focus, reduce stress and boost self esteem. Tai Mai, thank you so much for being on the show. [00:03:13] Speaker C: Thank you so much for inviting me because I'm really glad to be on this show because this is like a, it's a big thing, you know, for students actually they're dealing with stress, anxiety all the time and you hosting this show is so such a, such a great help to us. Thank you so much for hosting this. [00:03:32] Speaker B: Well, I take it from your accent you're not from Alabama. So I'm not going to just assume until I ask you tell the listeners where you're from, your credentials, a little bit more about yourself, how you got interested in this and why you're interested in this topic. [00:03:52] Speaker C: So actually I'm an international student, so I came from India five years back and I think I was like just end of the COVID 2021 where it was the lockdown was just lifted up and I came to do PhD to UA. So actually I had done the Sky Sky Happiness retreat earlier back in my high school actually. So at that point I had been, you know, through a lot of stress, anxiety, depression because I had faced a lot of bullying in my school. And that's when my dad had introduced me to this course like breathing technique and meditation. [00:04:30] Speaker B: Yes. [00:04:30] Speaker C: And that's how I got involved onto this part. And when I came to us, I realized, you know, like especially in PhD life, me, my friends, it's so much stressful. Like we have to work sometimes the projects doesn't work. Sometimes we have to hear a lot of criticisms from people and there is so much pressure onto completing with deadlines. Oh my God. So it's, this is definitely the most important part, you know, breathing technique and meditation. So that's how I felt like okay, I should start a club to all get all my friends and even other students from undergrads to get onto this [00:05:04] Speaker B: path, explain what Sky Campus is. I didn't understand it. We got an email from our associate director about the retreat that was held this past weekend. I want you to talk a little bit about that. But first for those who are listening and have no idea, explain what you're talking about. Sky Campus Happiness. [00:05:24] Speaker C: So Sky Campus Happiness is actually here. It's a student organization, but it is a much bigger program worldwide. So right now, Sky Campus Club is like an international organization now. And it's working in more than almost 120 universities. 180actually this year it has become 180 universities in United States. And now it is expanding to Europe as well, European continents. So there is lot of interest. There are a lot of instructors in this program who are teaching breathing techniques, meditation and yoga to kids. And most importantly, what this club or this student organization is built, is actually built by students, run by students. And even the instructors are students. So it's really a beautiful community because we just don't do like meditation and then just leave it. So once a participant comes in into, you know, into this program, Happiness Retreat, which involves breathing technique and meditations. So it's like a three day retreat. We do it and then with the. That is just a retreat, which you can take it all over the campus. You know, you. There are online retreats, there are online workshops, then there are in person, wherever you want in the country, you can get it. But especially when we establish a club in a university, it helps to bring up students together. You know, there is more social connection build up. There is more, you know, you know that there is some feeling of friendliness and connection that brings, you know, students close to share their, you know, daily routines or their problems. And the more we are more connected, there is more emotional build up, there is more buildup in the emotional intelligence. And those are different pillars that we touch upon in this club, actually. So we generally say there are four pillars to our club. It's like yoga, meditation, then emotional intelligence and social connections and leadership skills. [00:07:20] Speaker B: Well, you know, even me as a, as a professional therapist who is licensed, it is. Let me just ask you, there are skeptics and how do you deal with people. I know you've come across people, especially coming from India, which I have an impression. Anybody who knows me knows I'm obsessed with India. It's. We could go on a whole separate session about that. But anyone who knows me understands that. And so I don't know everything. I've never been to India, but I know the background is different. As far as you came in to the United States with already this knowledge and there's, there's so many people here who, you know, they roll their eyes. I've had people, I've had students, I've had athletes, athletes who just roll their eyes. You know, this was years ago when I first started working here, when I would mention learning breath work, learning to meditate. And once they started doing it, it took them, oh, I don't know, several sessions for them to understand, hey, something, there's something to this, this is working. How do you convince skeptics that this will work to help decrease stress and anxiety? [00:08:37] Speaker C: So you know, I have seen a lot of criticisms like that, you know, and I come lot of like, you know, on daily basis, including the people who are close to me living like roommates as well. But what they observe is not how they are practicing or they do the breath work. It's not their experience, it is our experience that they observe. So when I do my routine regularly, doing breathing techniques and meditations, they see the change in me happening. You know, the change how I become more calmer, how I'm dealing with the stressful situations. Yes. How I'm not being, you know, bothered by others criticisms, you know, or even not getting pressured in times of like exams or any critical presentation moments when they observe that and especially the friendliness and the kindness that increases the, with the state, calm state of mind is what actually, you know, they observe it. And I have seen a lot of students actually even my friends, they came across and they told to my other colleagues, they said like, you know, Tanmay has become changed a lot. She has become more calmer, she has become more loving. And they said like, you know, maybe when she dealt with this problem, how to deal with the deadline situations, we realized like we are more stressed. So I want to try what Tanmay does it, you know, so they learn it from my experience most of the time. And the people who are actually not close to me, the most important thing we obviously do the promotions of, you know, through different media like okay, what are the scientific benefits of breath work and emotional intelligence? And when they spread it, especially in our campus, you know, we have sent so many flyers, we bring them, we do club activities like routinely. We do mentor meditations and breath work routinely on mindful Tuesdays. So it's on 5:30 to 6:30 on campus. [00:10:25] Speaker B: Okay. [00:10:25] Speaker C: And people just show up, you know, without any prior knowledge, without any experience through the meditation experiences or the breathing technique experiences. That they do it with us is what actually help them to change the perspectives, you know, so that's why we do mindful Tuesdays. So anyone who doesn't have any prior knowledge or being skeptical, you can just give it a try. Most of the time and there are also different scientific, you know, researches on. Done on these practices. So we do share those researches. [00:10:54] Speaker B: Well, and I was going to ask you that. First of all, we're talking about mindful breath work. So tell the listeners how is this different than just taking a few deep breaths? It is different than just taking a few deep breaths, right? [00:11:08] Speaker C: Yes, for sure. Now, like, have you noticed like how there are four different sources of energies, right? We completely dependent on what are the four sources. Can you guess it? The first is the food, then keep going. Then second is the sleep. Right? So we are aware of it, right? We maintain our sleep. We. We know definite the pattern of sleep. Okay. How much time of sleep you needed, if you'll have less sleep or more sleep, you know, it's not healthy. Even with food is the same thing, you know, less or more doesn't. It's not good. And also the nutrition of the food, right? [00:11:53] Speaker B: Yes, but then. [00:11:56] Speaker C: Yes, and there is another third source of energy, that is breath. And the fourth is the calm state of. But how many times? [00:12:05] Speaker B: Name those again. Fruit, food, sleep. Breath. [00:12:09] Speaker C: Breath. Calm state of mind. [00:12:11] Speaker B: Calm state of mind. [00:12:12] Speaker C: Okay, now we know the first two because we are all the time hearing. But how many times we are aware of our breath, you know, that's the most important. Never, right? [00:12:23] Speaker B: Never. And that's why when people sometimes get upset, you'll hear, every once in a while you'll. You'll hear another person say, just breathe. [00:12:32] Speaker C: Exactly. [00:12:33] Speaker B: You know, to immediately calm that person down. [00:12:36] Speaker C: Yes, but you know, breath is the. Is the actually the tool which actually connects from the outer world to the inner silence, you know, so breath is so much such a powerful tool that we have. It actually helps, you know. You know, like we are sitting in a deep ocean, you know, of energy and then that's. But we have never accessed it, you know, there is so much power within us, we have never accessed it. And breath is the tool. The rhythmic pattern of breathing is what help us to get towards inner silence. We are getting more towards inner connections. [00:13:14] Speaker B: How long? Okay, this might be a strange question. I don't know if you can answer this, but. Because I bet people have asked you this. How long does it take someone to get to that point after? I would assume, does it take daily practice? [00:13:32] Speaker C: Do you really want the right answer? You will be surprised to hear it. [00:13:36] Speaker B: Go ahead. [00:13:37] Speaker C: You just have to do the sky retreat, which I told you for the three days. [00:13:41] Speaker B: Yes, yes, yes. [00:13:42] Speaker C: Last weekend, in fact, on the first day. Still you can have that experience, you know? Yes, okay. [00:13:50] Speaker B: Yes. Look at me. I'm going. [00:13:52] Speaker C: Whoa. [00:13:53] Speaker B: For those who can't see my face, that's impressive. That's impressive. Because I think, especially with college students, they want to see immediate relief. [00:14:05] Speaker C: I know. I know. So if you see, you know, where our mind is always stuck is basically always into past, right? Yeah. Or future. So what are the emotions that come up when we think of past? You know, either it's regret, it's a guilt, there's sadness, sorrow. Right? [00:14:26] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:14:26] Speaker C: Trauma. Right. There is so much trauma and stress. And in future, there is always worry. Right? There is always. Exactly. But where are we living? Actually? We are living in the present moment. Yeah. [00:14:40] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:14:41] Speaker C: Right. So then where. Where does our mind leave? You know, so this constant vacillation between past and future in the mind is what causes stress in our nervous system. And breath. Using breath, rhythmic pattern of breath is actually helpful to bring our mind into present moment. [00:14:59] Speaker B: Wow. [00:14:59] Speaker C: You know, it's like breath is like the string, and mind is like the kite. You know, if you flew a kite, you can use the string to control the kite, right? [00:15:09] Speaker B: Yes. [00:15:10] Speaker C: So you use the breath to bring back. Control your mind, you know, your emotions, and come back to the psychology. [00:15:16] Speaker B: Yes. Yes. Hey, let's take our first break because Katherine's giving me the signal. And when we come back, I want to talk about what literally is happening, like in your body and your brain during breath work. And we also have a few email questions, if you're willing to take those. [00:15:33] Speaker C: 100% sure. [00:15:34] Speaker B: Okay. We'll be right back. You're listening to brain matters on 90.7 the capstone. [00:15:51] Speaker C: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa. [00:15:53] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling, and no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. [00:16:32] Speaker B: Hey, you're back listening to brain matters on 90.7 the Capstone. I'm BJ Guenther. We're talking tonight about mindful breath work, and hopefully this is coming at a timely time during dead week right before finals week and graduation. I'm hearing so many students right now who are coming in and so overwhelmed with just a lot that they have to keep up with right now. My guest is. Is also a graduate student and PhD student in chemistry and biochemistry. Tanmayi Naik is my guest tonight. She is the president of an organization on campus called Sky. Sky Campus. Happiness. I knew I would mess that up. Sorry. And I don't know how long has it been? Has it. How long has sky campus been around on this? Is it just this year? [00:17:21] Speaker C: No, it's been four years now on campus. [00:17:25] Speaker B: This is the first time I've heard about it. [00:17:28] Speaker C: No worries. It is not late. You can still join it. [00:17:31] Speaker B: You can still do it. Okay. So when we were. Before we took a break we were talking about what is mindful breath work. How it's connected to your body and your energies. But can you explain Tanmayi, how it works within like the brain and what happens in the body? You know, what's the science behind it? Basically you being a chemist, [00:17:57] Speaker C: you know, I. There are a lot of researches on this, you know, so I can go and listen the researchers or even we can do it. Google now AI is the best option to search about it. Yeah, but the point that we are actually telling right now like in sky campus is basically we are giving it. It's a very experiential retreat actually. So when we talk about breath, like as I said, you know, like the constant vacillation in the mind from between past and future is causing the stress in the nervous system, you know, using breath we can bring our mind into present moment, you know. And when mind is in present moment, there is more stability. Right. And then the more stability, the more calmness in mind, the stronger we get. Right. You know there is also research which talks about sec. You know, SSC is. There is a part in our frontal lobe, you know, like in the brain. So it has always said like when you do things which you don't like, you know, the SEC grows and responsible for emotional stability, you know, the strength and inner strength, you know. So if you see like the kids who are more pampered or they're like, you know, okay, you do what you like. You see them very emotionally, you know, weak, you know, they will just break down easily. But those who have got through a lot of struggle, the reason is they have done a lot of things that they don't like, you know, in life. [00:19:25] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:19:26] Speaker C: That's how their SEC has grown. So they're emotionally so stable that they're, you know, there is nothing that could break them down. You know. So when we use our breath actually this SEC grows, you know, and breath is not like simple deep breaths. As we said, it's the deep rhythmic pattern of breaths. So the sky meditation is basically stands the Sudarshan Kriya Yoga. Sudarshan is like pure Kriya is purifying action. And yoga, basically we do the breathing patterns. So there are rhythmic breathing patterns in this practice that we do it which brings, you know, that calmer state of mind into present moment. [00:20:05] Speaker B: Do you have to pair the yoga with the breath work or can you just do the breath work alone? [00:20:14] Speaker C: So there are different breathing techniques. So we can do breathing techniques alone during any time of the day, even before the. No, it's better to do it empty stomach. Because breathing takes you. Gives energized your body as well as mine. [00:20:29] Speaker B: Didn't know that. [00:20:30] Speaker C: Yeah. Just before the, you know, you have your lunch, you can do some breathing techniques that are helpful at. At most of the time. But we suggest that sky breath is like a 20 minutes breathing, different breathing patterns as well as a meditation, five minutes of meditations. And when we combine breathing with meditation, it is, you know, like it just boosts like thousand folds. The calmness, the positive mind, the joy, the happiness. It just boosted like hundred times. [00:21:01] Speaker B: For you, for you personally, you mentioned, you know, your dad. It sounds like your dad got you interested in this. And how did it change you personally, if I may be so bold to ask? And how did it help increase self esteem? Because I have students who come in, they say they want to improve their self esteem and personally for me as a therapist, I think that is hard. It. It's hard to help someone build their self esteem and especially immediately like that takes a long time to work on self esteem. So explain a little bit if you can like disclose personally how that helped you. [00:21:40] Speaker C: Oh, I can disclose you my personal experience. Like, I mean you have got that self esteem point. The question at actually to the right person I would say because. [00:21:51] Speaker B: Thank you. [00:21:54] Speaker C: Because when I, I had, you know, as I said, like I had past trauma, like I went through bullying. And that's when my dad introduced me to this technique. Right? [00:22:02] Speaker B: Yes. [00:22:03] Speaker C: And when I got introduced to this technique is I just did like, I think it was that time. It was for four days retreat. And when we did it, I came out like some different person. Completely different. Because before the retreat, like before going there, I had so much anxiety during exam. I used to, you know, get high fever before the exams. [00:22:26] Speaker B: Did you say high fever? [00:22:28] Speaker C: Yes. Yes. Whoa. And then I never had groups of friends. Trust me, I was sitting alone. I had no friends. I used to never participate in competitions or Never go on the stage. Fear is another level, you know, like that is not even I'm mentioning, like I was so much shy and timid. But then when I did this sky retreat is when actually there was certain confidence build up, you know, it's like some seed just got soared into my, you know, inside me. And I felt like, why I'm shy, I should go for it, you know? [00:23:00] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:23:00] Speaker C: And I started being upfront, I started giving answers, you know, without being hesitant. I don't know where that confidence came in, but I think it's most of the breathing technique. What helped me is like realizing that I'm nothing less or nothing more than that, you know? [00:23:18] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:23:19] Speaker C: I can accept myself, you know. So when that realization hit me, like, I just started going forward, you know, I started asking questions, I started building up connections and I was not worrying, like, okay, if, if I talk to this person, what that person will judge me, you know, I was like, oh, okay. Whatever it comes, it's that his person's opinion. [00:23:39] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:23:40] Speaker C: So that FOMO thing or opinion botheration, those things actually reduced completely. I was like, I'm happy. I'm. I am who I am, you know, and that self acceptance gives so much. And with daily routine and daily practice of this breathing technique, it just keep on increasing. [00:23:58] Speaker B: You know what? I sort of relate to what you're saying because I feel. I've always felt a strong connection to working with clients who have anxiety because I think anxiety is something that you can master. And that is the problem sometimes with self esteem and let's say depression even and anxiety. I think sometimes people get depressed because they don't feel like they can control their. Their anxiety. So once you can master that anxiety, I think the depression sometimes decreases. [00:24:37] Speaker C: Exactly. So, you know, there is a research which actually. Do you know what is the first a human fear, which is the highest fear of humans? [00:24:47] Speaker B: A public speaking. [00:24:49] Speaker C: Yes. [00:24:50] Speaker B: I was going to say for me personally, it's snakes, but. But I think it's public speaking. And that's when you mention that, because I had written down some notes because I have so many students who come in terrified of public speaking. And I'm gonna ask, would this be appropriate? I think it would be to do right before whatever they're gonna present on. [00:25:13] Speaker C: Yes, yes, absolutely. I mean, can you imagine the death? The fear of death is the second one. I mean, we fear. [00:25:20] Speaker B: I can't. [00:25:22] Speaker C: Wow. We fear about what people think more than what, you know, the day you don't know. Yeah, yeah, exactly. What you don't know, but how does it even matter, you know, like it's someone's opinion, you know. You know it's. There is a, there are different secrets of happiness that we share during this retreat, you know and one of that is don't see intentions behind other people's mistake. On the second is the don't be football of other people's opinion. You know, have you seen the football or how it rolls around is just people kicking on the ground, right? [00:25:56] Speaker B: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, right. [00:25:59] Speaker C: So the ball just is kicked from one person to other person. So if you are just thinking about others opinion, I mean if you look at it, you know, there are so many changes, you know, with the opinion. Like is your opinion yesterday the still the same about one person or even the nature around? We just keep changing. [00:26:18] Speaker B: Right, right, right. [00:26:24] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:26:25] Speaker B: We've got a little bit of a delay here and I don't want to interrupt you. Have you been invited to classes here on campus to teach this? Have instructors do they know about sky campus? You know and I think you would be excellent to come in if you don't mind to come in and speak and present in classes. Especially classes that require numerous presentations even, you know. [00:26:52] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. I mean I can do presentations for you know, longer than for this retreat because like I haven't done just sky retreat. I have done more advanced courses and I've become an instructor as well. So I know how powerful the breathing techniques are and how the rhythmic pattern and daily basis this technique help you to stay confident, you know, I mean now I am able to speak to you on this. If you really go back to India to my house and tell them like you know, this is Tadmay, you know that she's. You're really welcome to tell them. They will actually say that you are full note and we can't do anything like this, you know, they don't believe, [00:27:39] Speaker B: they won't believe it. [00:27:41] Speaker C: Yeah, because that much shy I was and this breathing technique and meditation has you know, brought so much confidence in me that I'm able to tell you in detail about this. So I can go for hours, you know. [00:27:55] Speaker B: Well, I mean the hour will go by fast. We always say that every week. But I still have tons more questions. We're gonna take our next break and then I will get to that email question. It's an interesting, interesting one and I hope I don't put you on the spot. So hang on, we'll be right back. You're listening to brain matters on 90.7. The capstone. [00:28:24] Speaker C: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa. [00:28:27] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show host or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. [00:29:06] Speaker B: Hey, you're listening to 90.7 the Capstone. We're Brain Matters and I'm BJ Gunther. In case you don't know. Don't forget, if you have any ideas for upcoming topics for the fall, send those to me via email at brain mattersradiovuafm.ua.edu and I'll come consider using your topic ideas. My guest tonight is Tanmayi Naik. She is a PhD student in Chemistry and biochemistry and she is the president of a unique organization here on campus. And it's what we're talking about, but it's called Sky Campus Happiness at ua. And it's teaches basically mindful breath work, which is one of the elements we're talking about tonight. But it's more. It's. It's more than just mindful breath work. And they just had a retreat. It's just a unique thing and I hate that we missed it. Maybe next year I can have you on before the retreat to kind of publicize it a little more. But it sounds like you had a pretty good turnout. But this is just such a unique, fascinating topic that I just don't think that many students utilize. I don't think. I think part of it is a lack of patience because of what we were talking about earlier that they want something immediately to work and believe in, you know, and it takes practice. How. How long? You said one day literally for the retreat. And things change. How? But how long does someone need to actually be doing the breath work? Say I've got an exam tomorrow at noon and I'm very anxious about it. When should I start doing the breath work? How long would it last? Can you even answer that? [00:30:47] Speaker C: So for the sky retreat, right? The person who has done sky retreat, they will actually know that do the sky core Skype breathing technique, which is actually 20 minutes and then go for the class or the exam. But you know, if you are not experienced, you haven't taken any retreat or not known about breathing technique, then I think there is a quick Breathing technique called as alternate nostril breathing, which you can do just 10 minutes before the examination, even in your classroom. Or you can go to the restroom, do it quickly, and then come out. You know, that's a secret, actually, which I do it. [00:31:22] Speaker B: Well, this is the email question and it kind of transitions into more resource. More resources. Are there phone apps that have mindful breath work and what are some of your favorites? [00:31:34] Speaker C: If there are, yes. So there is actually breathing and meditation. So it is a combined app and it has also different wisdom series, musical series, which actually help you with that. So there is a app called AS Satwa S A T T Y V A Satwa Satwa app. And you can get it on anything. Apple Store, I store, you know, everywhere. So Play Store, you can get it. And that has different types of meditations, you know, starting from five minutes, like the beginner's level who doesn't know anything. You can start with that. There are different breathing techniques as well as the sky course. So once you do the sky retreat, There is the 20 minutes breathing practice that we do right. On daily basis. Only after the sky retreat, you can do that. So that is also there on that app. [00:32:27] Speaker B: And it's spelled S E T T Y V A. [00:32:32] Speaker C: Not why? Sorry, it's V.A. [00:32:35] Speaker B: say that again. [00:32:36] Speaker C: S A T T V A. [00:32:39] Speaker B: Okay, got it. [00:32:41] Speaker C: No, Y, no. Why? [00:32:43] Speaker B: Okay, I'll give that out again. Do you have any mantras that like a favorite quote or a favorite mantra that you use while you're doing breath work or any. [00:32:57] Speaker C: If I genuinely tell you, like truly, like during breathing technique, I'm doing nothing. Nothing. No mind, no thoughts, nothing. No feelings, nothing. It's just me. That's it. And those 15, 20 minutes, I just want to be me. [00:33:15] Speaker B: So is that your favorite? Like, is that your favorite mindfulness practice when you're having a stressful day? Yes, the 20 minutes. [00:33:25] Speaker C: Yes. Daily, early morning, if that's going early [00:33:29] Speaker B: morning, you do it early in the morning, right when you get up? [00:33:32] Speaker C: Yes. [00:33:33] Speaker B: Okay. [00:33:34] Speaker C: What I do is generally I combine this breathing technique, which is sky, with some yoga as well. So the thing is, like people, you also do gym and then do the breathing technique they can do in evening or before going to the bed, you know, doesn't matter. But early morning, what happens, it makes me energized, you know, to and keep my mind positive so that I can go for the day. But I sometimes even do an evening. You know, if I have early morning flights and I can't do it, then I can do it in Evening. But I generally combine it with some physical exercise so that it actually helps me, you know, to get my mind into state, you know, like easier breath. And then the breathing patterns also increases. And the more we do on daily basis this breathing techniques breath or the. The expansion of the breath becomes increases, you know. So the more I hold the bread that the amount of time I used to hold it at the starting when I just learned it, it was just few minutes, a few seconds, you know. Now my holding capacity of my lungs has increased least, you know. So generally, you know, there is a research which says like we only use like with normal breathing we only use 30% of our lung capacity. [00:34:50] Speaker B: Oh really? [00:34:51] Speaker C: But wow. [00:34:52] Speaker B: Yes. [00:34:53] Speaker C: This is like just normal like how we are doing right now, you know, it's just 30% and the rest we don't use it, you know. [00:35:01] Speaker B: No. [00:35:01] Speaker C: And. [00:35:02] Speaker B: Or you're hyper. You know. I have students who hyperventilate because they're not breathing correctly when they get anxious. So they hyperventilate. [00:35:11] Speaker C: Yeah. So what this breathe rhythmic pattern of breathing is actually helps you the expansion, you know, in the lungs. It not just you know, like with emotion, but it also increases with your physical changes, you know. So increase in the lung capacity. You know, the breathing is actually if you see the. When we inhale breath is actually what it nourishes our body, you know. And when we exhale breath, it actually cleanses the body. Right. So when we actually, you know, use this rhythmic pattern of bread, this actually increases, you know, the capacity. [00:35:48] Speaker B: It's fascinating. [00:35:49] Speaker C: And there is, there's also another deeper concept to breath work is prana. You have heard. Yes, pranayama is a very Vedic term, right. And you must have heard it a lot Pranayama in most of the yoga classes or people who are counseling, they do good. So pranayama is where prana means is a subtle life force of energy and yama is direction. So when we directing the subtle life force of energy using breath, you know, so the we use our breath, the deeper, you know, the prana gets energized. So the direct direction, you know, means the rhythmic pattern of breathing, we do it, the prana actually increases. And when prana increases, that's when we, our body, our mind is more energized and in positive and clearer. Clearer, clearer. [00:36:45] Speaker B: Let's talk a little bit about the retreat. What makes this retreat? And I'm assuming do you do it just once a year? [00:36:54] Speaker C: No, we do it twice in a year which is actually in person. So once in semester. But we Also do online retreats. [00:37:01] Speaker B: So the. [00:37:02] Speaker C: This weekend, last weekend we had, it was online, but we also had one in the February which was in person. So we do it both ways because that is regarding. Because there are other concepts with organizations and arrangements, all that stuff and come into picture. So with the club, we have specific funding. So we. With that restriction, we actually just do in person, 25 people capacity. You know, we have to. [00:37:30] Speaker B: Does it cost anything? [00:37:32] Speaker C: We generally give students free of lunch on weekends if it is in person. And then there are actually distant students who want to actually join these retreats. [00:37:41] Speaker B: I was going to ask about distance students because I did a workshop, I did a workshop, I think back in March for distant students. And they're always asking about resources. So I'm glad, I'm glad you mentioned that. Yeah, yeah. [00:37:56] Speaker C: So there are a lot of emails. Actually. The distance students emailed us and then we decided like, you know, let's do one retreat which is in person and one retreat which is online. So that online actually we not only invite distance student, but sometimes you also invite, you know, students from different campuses. You know, so this retreat was combined with other campuses as well in Alabama, like uab, the students from South Alabama as well, they also join it. [00:38:22] Speaker B: That's pretty cool. How is this, I guess, retreat different from other meditation or wellness workshops? How is it different? [00:38:36] Speaker C: Okay, so there are different, you know, people's belief. It also depends on which you want to go. But this retreat, I would say it's much more of experiential retreat. Okay, so whatever I'm talking about, breathing, pranayama or yoga is when participants or students come into this retreat, they actually experience it. So when I said like four sources of energy. So we are not just saying it, [00:39:02] Speaker B: but they're going to do it. [00:39:04] Speaker C: Yes, they know it. And when they experience it themselves, then they realize, oh, it's very easy to do it, you know, because hearing it may, you know, look like, oh, it is a difficult task. You know, sit down 20 minutes. It's. It's a difficult task. [00:39:19] Speaker B: You know, I don't think people will do it. Sometimes I really. That is, sometimes that may be the issue even in a counseling session if you just talk about it. But sometimes I will like teach it in my sessions and so, you know, teach a short breathing technique so they can have something to take with them and they can do it at home. So I get. [00:39:42] Speaker C: For sure you can, I can actually show you one breathing technique. And you can also, you know, tell your people who are coming for counseling over there that, okay, I learned this technique, maybe, you know, they can be helpful for their. [00:39:57] Speaker B: Well, yeah, you know, that kind of leads into this question. What's the mo. What's one. How do I put this? What's one moment during the retreat this past weekend that tends to surprise people or would surprise people the most? Did I put you on the spot? I'm sorry. [00:40:18] Speaker C: You know, I would think that it's a spot, but I would say, you know, this experience is so much personal and it's very individual experience, you know, like, every person gets different experience. Even though we are like in a group of 25 people, we won't feel the same way. The you have felt it, you know, like how Catherine has felt it. Once we do. We do the same breathing technique, we do the same breath work, but everyone feels different, you know, so there are, like, students who felt like, you know, it's much more calmer, you know, after the sky practice. Practice, especially from sky practice perspective, I would give you from the experiences of kids who have said, like, you know, they find it immediately after 20 minutes, minutes of sky practice, they felt like there is more clarity, you know, as if there is like a blackboard which was written. Lot of things were written down. And after the breathing technique, it just clearly arrived up, you know, like, just wiped out everything. And it's very clear. Their eyesight become very clear, you know, and sometimes students also get. After three days of experience, you know, like, for some students get this experience of clarity in first day, but someday, sometimes they get it after third day, you know. [00:41:31] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:41:31] Speaker C: And then they say, you know, first day, some students may feel like, you know, oh, I'm feeling sleepy. I'm feeling a little sleepy after breathing type thing. And then we tell them, okay, just stay with your experience, you know. Yeah. And the same student who was feeling sleepy will start feeling energized on the third day. They said, like, yes, I will bring two more friends of mine to this retreat, you know, because they cleared their [00:41:53] Speaker B: mind out and their brain was full, basically. [00:41:56] Speaker C: Exactly. And at the same time, you know, breathing techniques, it's not just energized you, but if there is like, you know, people who are very much active into the world, like we daily basis, we are just running here, there and doing our work, you know, but our mind and body also needs rest sometimes. [00:42:13] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:42:14] Speaker C: So this cha practice, generally students who come on first day, they find it more sleepy because they. They get into more rest. [00:42:23] Speaker B: They haven't had relaxation like that in a long time. You know, maybe have people at the retreat get emotional a lot. [00:42:34] Speaker C: Yes. Even myself, I've got emotional. You know, even when I'm, like, volunteering or, you know, just doing instruction, you know, being an instructor, I feel emotional when I'm, you know, doing that breathing technique with them. [00:42:47] Speaker B: Yes. [00:42:48] Speaker C: I don't know why, but it just feels like we are connected at that moment. You know, we feel like whatever you are saying, whatever you are experiencing in life, I also have that experience. And you and me are the same. [00:43:00] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:43:00] Speaker C: And when that connection. [00:43:02] Speaker B: Social connection that you mentioned. [00:43:04] Speaker C: Exactly. Emotional intelligence, you know, and then when you feel that, you feel like, oh, okay, then why I'm stuck with this sadness, you know, I should move forward. You know, that realization building up is. It's different, you know, that emotional change and becoming. You know, it just builds up more friends, you know? You know, I have two of my club who are representatives there also. Sophie, she is the vice president of our club, and Shana, who actually graduated last semester, but she was also vice president earlier. And they. Both of them did the retreat in the first year of their. When they came to the campus. When. In their first year of graduation. [00:43:44] Speaker B: Right. [00:43:45] Speaker C: And then when they did it, they actually shared. They were not even knowing each other at all. Shana was, like, a very shy person, and Sophie was very outgoing person. Like, she used to talk and she used to do. Yeah, yeah. And Shara used to be, like, she was sitting at the corner during the first day of retreat. After the third day, they, too became best friends. You know, they're roaming around the whole town, the country. They just go for retreats, and they take, like, going for this. I mean, can you, like, just three days of retreat, build them so much closer? And Shana, like, she still remembers, and they still do the regular practices. And they keep messaging me that we did this practice. We did that practice. This helped the students. That's a good practice. And they also teach [00:44:39] Speaker B: you. Wow. [00:44:42] Speaker C: They are teaching breathing techniques and meditation to their friends in their classroom now. [00:44:47] Speaker B: That's wonderful. [00:44:49] Speaker C: That's how it changes. [00:44:50] Speaker B: That's how it, like, trickles down. [00:44:53] Speaker C: Exactly. [00:44:54] Speaker B: Okay. [00:44:55] Speaker C: Like, it can change. [00:44:56] Speaker B: We're gonna take our last break, and when we come back, I want to talk about some more resources. I've got a question also about access to training yourself if you can't make it to the retreat. So stay with us. We'll be right back. You're listening to brain matters on 90.7. The capstone. [00:45:24] Speaker C: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa. [00:45:26] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling. And no Relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. [00:46:05] Speaker B: Hey, you're back listening to brain matters on 90.7 the Capstone. I'm BJ Gunther. We're talking tonight with Tanmayi Naik. She's PhD student in chemistry and did we just lose her? Well, PhD student in chemistry, biochemistry and the president of an organization on campus called Sky Campus Happiness, which basically teaches mindful breath, work, yoga, meditation, ways to cope and deal with stress and anxiety, self esteem. We've been talking about this the whole hour and we're almost finished talking about it. But Tenmai, first of all, when do you finish up your degree? [00:46:45] Speaker C: This year you graduated May. No, probably by December. I will be graduating. [00:46:51] Speaker B: Okay, so you've got a little bit longer to be with us. Yes. Do you wanna, do you wanna. Do you want to work in research? You want to go to medical school? What's the plan? Do you have one? Oh, I think you froze up. [00:47:05] Speaker C: Oh, I'm planning to continue in research field. So I will continue to be a researcher further. But I will look into more being into industries as well. [00:47:13] Speaker B: I hear you. My niece graduated in. She got her master's. She went for a PhD. That's a sidebar. Yeah, I can hear you now. Can you hear me? [00:47:24] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:47:25] Speaker B: Okay. [00:47:26] Speaker C: Sorry. The Internet I think was unstable. [00:47:29] Speaker B: It just freezes up every once in a while. Tell the listeners about some resources, do you? What if you can't make it to any of the retreats? Is there a way to access the program? The Sky Campus Happiness program? [00:47:43] Speaker C: Oh yes, yes, for sure. So there are actually different programs not just at college level. So they're not just research level, like campus level, but as well as like different in the community level as well. We do different programs but for Sky Campus there is a website which is international like www.happiness.org. so if you go to that website, you could see there are different courses With Sky Retreat there is, there is also a new course called a sleep and anxiety protocol. [00:48:18] Speaker B: Okay. [00:48:19] Speaker C: So people who are going through a lot of insomnia, you know, have a lot of not having good sleep or having a lot of anxiety. Sleep and Anxiety protocol. Is a very short. It's a three days course as well. But it takes like just two, two hours each, you know, every day. So there is a. So you can go to different courses like this and you can find that on that website. It is all over the nation. It is now expanding to other nations. Even in Asian continent you can find different courses. So all the details are there on that website. You know, anywhere on the earth you can find sky cancer, happiness. [00:48:56] Speaker B: That's. That's great because I'm sure listeners, I have a lot of students who have sleep issues. They have sleep problems. They have problems, they tell me quieting their brain. They overthink. When they lay down to go to sleep, their brain is still going. And so they have issues with that. And this sounds like it would help tremendously. I'm always trying to find new ways to help people with their sleep problems besides medication. You know, I don't want to go to that first thing unless it's severe. Severe, of course. But this would be a great option for people with sleep issues, right? [00:49:31] Speaker C: Yes, yes, yes. Sleep and anxiety protocol that also actually takes does a lot of breathing techniques, but those are very short and quick. Because people who going through a lot of stress and anxiety or sleep, they need little more of advanced one. Right. And they can't sit down for a longer time. Like you know, normal person can do it for them. That's why we had this protocol. So those who are feeling like okay, I don't get enough sleep or I'm having a lot of anxiety in body, they can just do this course like protocol. There is one upcoming online which is in April 21 to 28. [00:50:07] Speaker B: Okay. [00:50:08] Speaker C: 21st, 24 to 26. Yeah. [00:50:11] Speaker B: Wow. [00:50:12] Speaker C: Three days. So you can search it online. It should be there on the same website. You can type it and there are different contacts. So those are from the national contacts in United States. If you contact them and ask for a nearby center if you want to do in person. And they can even suggest you an online course as well. If you want to do it online. You know, they have different programs all over the nations. [00:50:35] Speaker B: This is great information. Thank you so much for giving us all this information. And if you want to know more, can people who are listening contact you here on campus? If they need to email you, can you give us your email? [00:50:50] Speaker C: Yes, for sure. Like they're welcome to call. Email me, call me. So my email is T R N A I K trnik at the rate Crimson UA Edu. [00:51:04] Speaker B: Great. And if you have questions, you can always email me@brain mattersradiobuafm ua edu and I can get you that time's information if you need that. Thanks again. This has gone by fast, hasn't it? [00:51:19] Speaker C: Yes, and you can actually search it or a club on Instagram as well. Okay. Club ua. That is our profile name and you can find it and you can text me over that as well so I can reach out to you anytime. [00:51:33] Speaker B: Thank you so much. I hope people use this resource because it is so beneficial. I know that from what I do, so I appreciate it. Let me make a few announcements. Don't forget our shows are recorded and podcasted on the Apple Podcast, Spotify, audioboom and voices ua.eduardo. just type in Brain Matters and you'll find some of our past shows. There's also a link to Voices ua Edu on the Counseling Center's website at Counseling ua Edu. I'd like to thank a few people who made the show possible. Our Executive Director here at the counseling center, Dr. Greg Vanderwaal, my producer and my colleague Katherine Howell, my colleagues at the Counseling Center, Gareth Garner, who edits our show every week, and the WVUA staff and of course my guest tonight, Tin Mai Naik. Don't forget, next week is our last show. It will air probably the week of finals. Our topic is gonna be timely. It's gonna be storms now and then, and my guest will be the legendary meteorologist James Fann. We'll be talking about the anniversary of the tornado that ripped through Tuscaloosa on April 27, 2011. But we're also going to be talking about how to protect yourself because it is storm season and I always worry about students who are not from here and need to know about our weather here. So join us next week. We'll be here same time, same place. Thanks again for listening and good night. [00:53:09] Speaker A: This show was not intended as a substitute for professional counseling. Further, the views, opinions and conclusions expressed by the show hosts or their guests are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Alabama, its officers or trustees. Any views, opinions or conclusions shared on the show do not create a relationship between the host or any guest and any listener, and such a relationship should never be inferred. If you feel you're in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, please contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective county's crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.