Each person will have Long-COVID for different reasons.
A top-level approach will give some relief to people, but the core reason they have Long-COVID, lethargy and breathing problems is going to be different for each person. So, the virus is the same for all, but why they get it and why it is a protracted experience for some will be different for everybody.
Finding and applying a catch-all remedy is difficult. We see treatment for this at two levels. The first is building supports around you that help the body operate at optimal levels initially, and then going into the aspects of why Long-COVID has stayed with you. Below we recommend some breathing-stretching exercises as a support. We see being out in nature and taking that free energy in as a support. Other supports that may be of interest and/or benefit, include naturopathic protocols, vitamins, herbs, tinctures, ayurvedic regimes and retreats, massage, yoga, and exercise (preferrably outside in clean air with nature). However, the reason you are experiencing Long-COVID will only be understood if you go into your own aspect of it. You can do this many ways. As healers, we have six ways we could support you in such an endeavour. Many healers around you will be able to do the same. You just need to be open, and they will appear. We suggest this be a journey of self-discovery and self-responsibility.
It’s worth stressing that supports are not a cure. They simply support you through this time. And it is also essential for you to do this journey your way.
Breathing.
We now want to address the feeling of congestion and heaviness through the lungs. If you think about what the virus does, it infiltrates the body, but for the lungs, it seems to build this feeling of fullness and pressure in the lungs.
An example: Like a boil, as more pus builds, it begins to hurt, and eventually, the pressure will erupt from the skin. But before that, the pressure starts to affect the local skin area. Say the boil is on your arm, this can make the whole arm hard to move. Even though the boil might be on the forearm, grasping becomes painful because the whole arm is involved in that, and it puts pressure the boil area.
The lungs are the same. This infection in the lungs causes internal pressure. Some people will feel they can’t open their lungs enough. Others will feel the diaphragm is not able to move and/or is obstructed, or the whole stomach may be obstructed from supporting the breathing.
Breathing needs to be supported. To do that we need to support all of the parts that have something to do with the breathing. For example:
Massage:
Massaging the diaphragm.
Lie down and relax the torso. Massage the diaphragm downwards, following the diaphragm into core of the body. This may really hurt. Be kind to yourself, but remember this is like any other massage where you are loosening up the tissues/muscles.
If you are at a desk, seated all the time and a little stooped forward, then this is what the muscles become used to, and the body will remember, cell-memory. This massage is a reminder that this is not normal, and it’s the same for the diaphragm. If it can’t do its normal range and job, then you will benefit from loosening it up with a massage. Again, it is best done lying down. It will hurt. For some people, they will need to get right in there and push all the way down the diaphragm.
Stomach massage.
Standing or laying down, you massage the torso muscle from the rib cage to the pelvis, pushing from the ribs and down. Again, some will find this loosening of the muscles somewhat painful.
Breathing exercises.
Walking and standing positions for these are best. Laying down will be limiting. You need freedom to move fully whilst doing the breathing exercises.
Exercise one – Nature breathing – best done in a place of nature with clean air, e.g., in a forest, or by the water, at a beach with salty air.
This is a breathe-in, stretch, full breath-hold, and release exercise.
First, as you breathe in, lift your arms to the side, lifting upwards from the breast bone or upper sternum, you will feel a slight incline back and stretch your arms out to the side as if they are being pulled. You will actually be standing straight, not leaning back, this lift will pull you back a little, but the breath and lift is in the front of the ribcage. You are filling and opening the ribcage rather than breathing and leaning back, and should feel the stretch across the chest. You are aiming for a ribcage opening, and a lift and stretch. You may even find you lift the heels off the ground. The shoulders should be relaxed, and the arms are to the side allowing the breath to experience the fullness of the lungs. Said another way, the top of you pulls up and not back, and the arms are held out to the side, but not backwards. You’re moving up. There is no squeezing of the back. Open yourself up to the free energy of nature. Feel the energy vibration filling your body, subtle yet powerful. Feel the control you have access to.
This exercise is giving the diaphragm more space, but at the same time, you are also giving the lungs more freedom. This stretch means the ribs will have to move up and out. This does not mean the back is squeezing; you are lifting. Lift up, and reach out and hold that breath.
Whilst doing this exercise, you will feel lots of tension. The greater aim of this exercise is to consciously release this tension in that space, consciously feel the releasing of muscle tension or constriction, and consciously open and free it.
Focusing on the breath in this exercise, you feel it fill the lungs, a full breath in, holding it to stretch things.
The nature side of this comes in with this opening up, gathering the energy from nature, holding it in and releasing it. Do this consciously and the body will become fully engaged with all these new energies, like tonics and then release them and relax with them simultaneously. Release the ribs, release the diaphragm, release yourself.
Start with two counts in and up, two counts hold, and four counts down. Then increase, four in and up, four hold, eight counts down. You can experiment with different timing sequences that work for you; the aim is to help you find the fullness of each part of the breath and consciously take control.
If we can forget this concept of COVID for a moment, we have noticed that when people are feeling breathless, we see that their wider experience is that they don’t feel they are in control.
Example: People who hyperventilate are out of control. When people have anxiety, they often take short breaths. When people run or have just engaged in exercise, the body takes over their breathing, it is actually working for them because they can no longer get the air in they require, so the body is doing its job supporting survival.
So, this breathing exercise is more than stretching, freedom and relaxing; it’s also about regaining control. As you advance with this exercise, you can randomly change the breath count at each point. Some will notice that this is not easy. Practise taking control. They may also find that it may affect the mind, body and emotions, alerting you to aspects of the unique cause of why this condition is staying with you.
Exercise two – Walking
This exercise is simpler. The concept of this exercise is you are training the lungs to be in different states. This is all about the control of the breath. (Symbology of being in control somewhat of your life).
Whilst doing this exercise, be mindful that you may want to walk fast and might become breathless. You may find that you need to train yourself to walk slower.
The breath pattern as an example could be, SLOW-Walking and breathe in-for-two, hold-for-two, out-for-two, hold for two, and cycle that. Then do this cycle with two slow footsteps with two counts breathing in, and cycle the rest timed with the footsteps. Step and breathe together slowly. The holding of the breath will create a feeling of breathlessness. Don’t accidentally fall into the impulse to do it quicker to finish quicker. That’s the body taking control. You have to take control for yourself. When you master the two-count breath with two steps, then try and go for the four-count breath with four steps.
This is not about walking for exercise and sweating, however you might find the heart rate does jump. The counting is the focus. Random breaths can be explored, which is exploring the control with which you are meeting the world and making that happen in your own way. Find a structure that you like and do that. When you are more experienced, you can go from a 4 step/breaths, which is a 16 cycle, to something like a 13 cycle. This will take control and effort because it’s an odd number. You will discover the feet and breath become out of sync, which may be challenging. Aim for everything to be in the breathing.
Do this exercise anywhere. Two simple examples are, in nature, in the shopping mall before you go into the supermarket.
Exercise three – Sitting down
Open your lungs and ribs out. This exercise is about out-and-in, not breathing up and down like exercise one. No slouching people! As you breathe in you will feel the stretching, and when you breathe out hold the body up. So with each breath, you are getting taller. You might do this for ten breaths – two-in, two-hold, two-out, two-hold.
Summary: These breathing exercises are all about you taking control of your body, taking control of life.
We will share more in part 2. Here we will explore going deeper:
“Others never got COVID, or if they did, it was over in a week or two. Why Long-COVID and me?”