Exercises Playing with the flow
Gliding Cranes
How does it help?
The cranes fly with your breath: they rise with beating wings as you breathe in, and spread their wings and glide down as you breathe out. As your eyes follow the flock, your breath falls into their rhythm: 4 seconds in, 6 seconds out; 6 breaths a minute. Tap the sky once and the front crane glides back to rest; tap twice and a new crane arrives from afar. Before you start, pick one of three skies: sunset, night or sunrise. In each, part of the sky changes with your breath too: the glow of the sun, the stars or the sea.
Why do they change places?
On a long journey, the bird at the front, cutting through the air first, tires the most. Birds flying in a V take turns leaving this spot, glide back to rest and keep their strength all the way.
When you tap the sky in the game, the front crane draws back and rests too. Slowing down when you are tired, moving your attention elsewhere and giving yourself a breather are part of the way as well.
Cranes, Tao and origami
In Taoist tradition the crane stands for long life and a light spirit; old paintings show sages rising to the sky on cranes.
The paper crane is the best-loved origami form; in Japanese tradition it is a symbol of hope and patience. The cranes in this game are drawn as if folded from paper.
Safety
Don't force your breath; if you feel dizzy or short of breath, stop and breathe normally.
Research and sources
Where does it come from?
What does research say?
Birds flying in a V have been observed leaving the tiring front position in turn to rest at the back. Breathing at 6 breaths a minute also lowers stress and anxiety.
Sources
- Voelkl B, Portugal SJ, Unsöld M, Usherwood JR, Wilson AM, Fritz J. Matching times of leading and following suggest cooperation through direct reciprocity during V-formation flight in ibis. PNAS, 2015.
doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1413589112 - Goessl VC, Curtiss JE, Hofmann SG. The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback training on stress and anxiety: a meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 2017.
doi.org/10.1017/S0033291717001003