COHERENCE L.L.C. Glossary of Breathing Terms

Revised August 16, 2005

Glossary of Terms:

Anxiety: a mental and emotional state characterized by fear and uneasiness. Anxiety correlates highly with "stress".

Autonomic imbalance: refers to "autonomic nervous system imbalance".

Autonomic nervous system: a primary branch of the central nervous consisting of sympathetic and parasympathetic aspects. Sympathetic and parasympathetic aspects automatically govern subconscious bodily functions.

Autonomic nervous system balance: the state wherein sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system aspects of the autonomic nervous system are of net equal emphasis.

Autonomic nervous system imbalance: the state wherein sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system aspects of the autonomic nervous system are not of net equal emphasis, i.e. either the sympathetic or the parasympathetic aspect is predominant.

Breathing cycle: the period of one complete inhalation followed by one complete exhalation or visa versa.

Breathing pacemaker: a simple audio/visual device for the purpose of synchronizing the breathing cycle for the purpose of eliciting autonomic nervous system balance.

Cardiopulmonary resonance: the state wherein the breathing rhythm is occurring at the rate at which the cardiopulmonary system inclusive of autonomic nervous system aspects naturally resonates.

Coherence: 1) the state of unity/minimal entropy of a living system, 2) physical congruity and consistency (of the intrinsic autonomic nervous system rhythm as evidenced by the heart rate variability rhythm).

Coherent Breathing(tm): a specific breathing modality for eliciting autonomic nervous system balance and coherence.

Fight or flight: the instinctual response accredited to vertebrate organisms when their survival is threatened. It is characterized by increased sympathetic nervous system action which serves to prepare the organism for fighting or fleeing.

Heartbeat rate: by convention, the number of times the heart beats in 60 seconds.

Heart rate variability: the rate at which the heartbeat changes in time, having attributes of amplitude, frequency, average heartbeat rate, and coherence.

Optimal breathing: breathing that elicits autonomic nervous system balance and consequent health and well being.

Psycho-physiological: having to do with both mind and body.

Stress: a persistent psycho-physiological condition resulting from sustained perception of threat to survival. Stress correlates highly with increased sympathetic nervous system emphasis.

Sub-optimal breathing: a mode or method of breathing that does not support the health and well being of the human organism.

Sympathetic dominance: the persistent condition wherein the sympathetic nervous system is active and the parasympathetic system nervous system is under active.

Sympathetic emphasis: the condition wherein the sympathetic nervous system is asserted and the parasympathetic nervous system is withdrawn.

Unifying theory of health: the establishment of health and well being on the basis of autonomic nervous system balance and optimal homeostasis.

	COHERENCE L.L.C., based in Allen, Texas, is owned and operated by Stephen Elliott. Stephen is a long term practitioner of Eastern yogic and martial arts and an avid researcher in contemporary biofeedback. Professionally, Stephen is an engineering executive, inventor, and techno-business strategist in the technology sector.

Products and methods described herein are protected by multiple U.S. and Canada patents pending.

COHERENCE(TM), Coherent Breathing(TM), Breathing Pacemaker(TM), The New Science of Breath(TM), What Was Lost Is Not A Chord But a Rhythm(TM), and The Fundamental Quiescent Rhythm(TM) are trademarks of COHERENCE L.L.C., Allen, Texas, U.S.A.

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