- Stillness at the Top of the Breath
- What is stillness?
- Why stillness is important.
- How to "still" your breath.
Between the Inhale and Exhale
There is a moment of ‘no-movement’ of air at the top of the breath when your air current transfers from an inhale to and exhale.
This place of no breath motion is called, “Stillness”.
The ‘still point’ has a clear sensation inside of the body. You may not have noticed it before. But when you slow the breathing cycle and focus upon the place between the inhale and the exhale, the sensation of stillness become apparent.
It is the split second when you can detect the change in air direction.
The "Still point," is a hidden point of secret power for your voice. Here, you will suspend motion of the breath, unwind tension and initiate important vocal movements.
Breath stillness is as important as the inhale and exhale.
- Zero Point - One specific sensation - Your breath is moving neither in nor out of your nose.
Stillness is a specific, clear sensation where your breath current is NOT moving. When you study voice, many things happen at once. The air moves in different parts of your body. You could easily become confused.
However, these three important states: inhale, exhale and stillness are the most important signals. Once you know just these three stages, everything else becomes far less important.
You will be able to gain control and certainty of your breath with a few simple questions:
- Is my breath still or in motion?
- Is my larynx relaxed?
- Direction? Is air moving into or out of my nose and vocal core?
Why Stillness is Important
You will make specific vocal movements AFTER you determine that your breath is still.
A stillness, the point of no movement of your breathing cycle, you will engage specific breathing techniques.
Much like the gears of a motor, you can't move directly from one gear to another unless you dis-engage the previous gear. You must get to 'neutral' before you can switch.
The same is true for voice breathing. The breath must be still before the next gear, or technique can engage.
Larynx and Throat at Rest
You don't need to make any special effort in your larynx or throat to "Still" the motion of the breath.
This is not a new skill to you. In fact, you do it all the time without knowing it. Now we are just bringing it into your conscious awareness.
Simply inhale to a comfortable full level of air and and observe the place at the top of the inhale where the inhale shifts to an exhale. Between the inhale and exhale you will detect the still point; a moment of no air motion, of stillness, between the breaths.
The larynx remains completely at rest. Your breath is silent.
Simply think, “Still” and then notice how your larynx can remain at rest. And your body naturally takes care of the rest. There is no extra effort.
Never press inwards or compress the larynx in order to control the rate of the air current or the "Still" your breath motion.
Don't "Hold" Your Breath
The top of the breath is the most common place where we engage tension. (And we usually don't even know we're doing so.)
This throat closing motion causes vocal damage, deadens voice tone, and limits high and low pitches.
Your ultimate training goal is to maintain an open, relaxed throat and larynx.
Exercise - Stillness at the Top of the Breath
In this exercise, you will learn to “Still” the breath without engaging the vocal core.
All points of the vocal core remain at rest, simply swelling and contracting in response to the air flow.
- Inhale very slowly. When you get to the end of the exhale, slow down even further, then examine the space between the inhale and exhale.
- Notice how your air current tapers off at the end of the inhale and then comes to a gentle still place before you reverse the motion of the breath and begin the exhale.
- Explore this subtle, still place very slowly. You will find the section of stillness between the breaths isn’t a set amount of time. It is an non-timed moment between the motion of the inhale and exhale. Once you find this place, you will find that you can extend the space without closing the larynx or moving the breath.
Preparation:
- Home position.
- Establish an easy, comfortable, cycle of breath.
- Inhale all the way to Comfortable Full to establish a volume mark.
Exercise:
- Still the breath at Comfortable Full.
- All parts of the vocal core remain at rest at the still point at the top of your breath. Check the larynx and throat that they remain in their resting positions.
- Notice if you make a sound when you begin the exhale. A noise in your larynx means that you have unconsciously closed your throat at the top of your breath.
- Begin the next inhale slowly with your throat open and relaxed. Your full attention is trained upon on your larynx.
- Notice how you can inhale to a comfortable level of breath, then "Still" the motion of your air at the top of the breath and exhale without sound or motion in the larynx.
- Play with the space at the top of the breath: end of the inhale where the breath comes to a still point.
Vocabulary
- Stillness at the Top of the Breath - the place between inhale and exhale where the motion of the breath comes to a stop, without movement in the larynx.