Welcome to the tribe,

Well, here's the deal......I would say that just about ANY kind of breathing is better for the heart than NOT breathing. I would ask where your friend's information came from and go about learning the technique until he or someone can show hard evidence to the contrary. JMHO, but I do believe I saw some article recently that implied negative consequences....I ignored it for lack of the "hard evidence" thing and because it appeared more slanted toward sensationalism.......you know....the media likes to do that kind of stuff;-)

Cheers,

Per

I have never heard of anything like either of those comments.

If anything, playing didge circular breathing is *good* for you. There was some research a while ago about how playing a didge helps you breath better at night. From personal experience, the whole circular breathing thing is a great way to clear out your sinuses, letting you breath easier.

I honestly can't see how playing the didge would have a negative effect on your sax playing. Playing the didge teaches you great breath control, and also helps to exercise lots of facial muscles (lips, cheeks, jaw, etc), as well as your diaphragm/stomach, all of which should help when playing any wind instrument. That being said, I haven't actually played another wind instrument recently, after I started playing didge, although I played clarinet, bari sax and oboe back in high school.

Hello Rebecca, First of all i want to welcome you to the wonderful world of Didgeridoo ..your gonna love this I tell ya , secondly ,, I have done much research and am also a heart attack survivor,, and in all my research i have never been told any negative aspect of playing the didge on the cardiovascular system . From my experience any form of excorcise is good for the heart in a heart healthy person.

The didgeridoo is used extensively in Holistic healing as well as scientificly proven studies in the field of SNORING , UPPER and LOWER RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS,REDUCING ASTHMA,REDUCING SLEEP APNEA,REPAIR DAMAGED LUNGS,INCREASE LUNG CAPACITY,REDUCE DAYTIME SLEEPINESS ,Circular breathing reduces the heart rate, balances the body and lessens the incidence of colds, headache and flu. Playing the didgeridoo is easy, fun, and has positive health benefits!

Below quoted from a Medical website

Benefits of Sound Therapy and Meditation (Holistic)

tiredness and stress simply vanish
clearing and balancing of Chakra’s
incredible peace, deep relaxation, and relief of anxiety
amazing visions, messages, feelings
new vitality, and sense of wellbeing
powerful clearing of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual blocks
increased energy and focus
and so much more

Benefits of playing the didgeridoo (standard)

increased lung capacity
development of deep breathing
provides an excellent workout of the respiratory and cardiovascular system
can help with the alleviation of Sleep Apnea symptoms and snoring
promotes the elimination of bodily toxins from the lungs through breathing deeply. Great for smokers, asthmatics, etc.
promotes a meditative state through focused breathing and sound repetition
a fun way to express musical creativity either alone or in a group
no notes, fingering, or theory to remember. You just play your own song
and so much more

I am definately not a Dr. and i would urdge you to consult your personel Psysician if you have genuine concern's , But my experience has been nothing but Bliss!

Good luck on your didg'N journey , and much health happiness and success to you !!

Namaste'

~~Ceki