I'm into the third week of running the Singing for Lung Health group at Bitterne Health Centre, working with people who have COPD, Asthma, breathing problems, lung disease and lung cancer. It's a very chilled out way to spend the morning, helping the participants develop good breathing habits and ditching the old habits! Relaxation, posture and breathing excercises led into vocal warm ups and then into songs. I bring with me lots of percussion including an ocean drum, rain stick and shruti-box: all instruments that illustrate very well the art of good breathing. When a participant plays the shruti box they experience the push and pull of the bellows, a 'hands on' feel of the weight and movement of breath. It's the same with the ocean drum and rain stick, experimenting with movement to control the sound. Many of them feel a of deep sense of relaxation when playing these instruments. One woman said she really felt the tension in her body dissappear as she played the shruti box. Playing an instrument, even a percussion instrument is all about relationship with the instrument itself, with ourselves and the world around us. A great way to reconnect, retune and relax.
https://www.blf.org.uk/support-in-your-area/singing-group-in-southampton
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