Cloud Study by John Constable
During a recent Yoga for Healthy Aging weekend workshop, one of the participants, yoga teacher Debbie Cabusas, alluded to some big changes in her life that occurred when she started doing pranayama. Intrigued, I decided to interview her to learn more.Baxter: Tell me a bit about yourself and what was happening before you started doing pranayama regularly.
Debbie: I just turned 60 and have practiced yoga for the last 36 years off and on, but pretty consistently for the last 12 years. I have studied with Sandy Carmellini the last 8 years. I have taught yoga for the last 6 years, and am a registered yoga teacher at the E-RYT 200 and a RYT500 levels. I have had a meditation practice for about two-and-a-half years. It was definitely a “practice “and things were going pretty dismally, as far as my focus went. I was also heavier than I think is healthy for me, with my weight before this shift in my practice at 200 lbs. I consider myself a sugar addict and my previous attempt to lose weight just didn't work. I also have had high blood pressure for 25 years, controlled on medication, and a cranky neck for 35 years.
Baxter: How did you decide to make pranayama a priority?
Debbie: In February of 2016, Sandy offered a six-day intensive for pranayama and meditation. I figured it might help my meditation and that I needed to learn more pranayama, as my knowledge was pretty limited, and I had no pranayama practice to speak of.
A funny thing happened to me about two or three days into the immersion: I noticed my sugar cravings were pretty much gone. As I continued to regularly practice pranayama, I continued to have a lack of almost all cravings, and I began to lose weight. It's not that the only thing I did was pranayama. I did also cleanses/detoxes, controlled my eating, and upped my exercise to include three days a week of cycling. It was hard work. But what made the difference was the lack of almost all cravings! I can attribute that to my pranayama practice.
Baxter: Did the addition of pranayama to your yoga practices have any other consequences?
Debbie: Oh, yes! I have reaped so many benefits for my pranayama practice. Here is the list of what I have observed. It is hard to put them order, but the 1st is what I believe is number 1.
1. I am happier, and more accepting of and compassionate with myself and others. I appreciate my life.
2. I lost 30 pounds. Now weigh 170.2 lbs. Everything is easier now.
3. My lung capacity has increased, maybe as much as 35-50%. I used to have to stop and catch my breath 3 -4 times on a 2-mile upward hike; now I may not need to stop at all. I actually ran (not a runner!) at Bryce Canyon (altitude of 8.5k feet). This has also allowed me to cycle with the cycle club. When biking hills, my heart rate only goes up to 135ish. I now cycle ~12 miles 2x weekly on my own, and 20 miles on the weekend with the club.
4. I am a much calmer person.
5. My blood pressure is down enough for my doctor to cut my dose in half (a dose I have been on for the last 6 years). He was so happy to see that I had done the work. You would appreciate this as a doctor. You tell your patients this is what will be good for you and we never do it. Both my father and his mother died from strokes that they had at 61 years old.
6. My resting heart rate is down in the low 40s.
7. Last, but certainly not least, my chronic neck pain is much better given the good stretch the back of my neck gets in pranayama, as I use Jalandhara Bandha in each practice.
Baxter: Wow, that is quite a shift on so many levels. It is certainly reflects the potential of pranayama, and why we at YFHA recommend pranayama as a tool for stress management, pain management, improving digestion and so many other things. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us, Debbie!
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