How yoga saved my life

Dirgha breathing, meditation keep a freezing woman warm.

By CARLENE SULLIVAN

It all started on a blustery winter morning. The temperature was 26 degrees with winds at 35 mph, bringing the temperature down to about negative 5. I thought, “What better way to test out all my new mountain gear?”

I had “polypropylene this” and “Gortex that” and every other new technology outdoor wear you can imagine. I headed north to Evans Notch and trekked around throughout the day feeling fabulous, warm and strong. There even were some small ice slabs for me to work on my technique of becoming a novice ice climber.

I continued my excursion for a few more hours and decided to head back. The day was growing colder, and I knew night fall would be venturing in soon.

I threw my crampons, ice axes and gloves in the back seat and began to warm up my vehicle for the 30-minute ride back to civilization.

To my dismay, my engine would not turn over. I tried again and again, beginning to panic knowing that only a crazy soul would be out here at this hour and in these temperatures to go get some help.

My cell phone battery was dead, and even if it wasn’t, I’m sure there would not have been any service. I began to get cold, fast.

Having taken wilderness first aid, I brought the basics into play. Step No. 1: Survey the scene.

The scene? I am in the middle of nowhere, in a broken down vehicle, the temperature down to who knows what, with no cell phone service and a $1,000 worth of outdoor garb that was not even keeping me warm.

Realizing the first stages of hyperthermia would set in soon, I thought, “This is it ... I’m dead.”

I knew a pair of crampons and ice axes would not save me now, so I began to scan the interior of my car. Being a yoga teacher, all I had were 10 yoga mats and my CD player filled with brand new batteries and my favorite meditative CD, “Shamanic Dream.”

I began to lay down the seats, flicked on my hazards and pressed play and repeat on my CD player. I figured soothing sounds would drown out the howling wind, which seemed to be screaming out my name.

Starting down by my feet, I slowly began to wrap the yoga mats, one by one, around my entire body until I was completely covered in a colorful array, creating a human yogini burrito.

I laid flat on my back and began to focus on my breathing. I knew it was only about 5 p.m., so I had a long wait ahead of me.

I started with the Dirgha breath. Beginning to expand the breath through the stomach first, bringing the breath up towards my rib cage, as high up to the collar bones as possible, and then bringing the breath back down to the navel towards the spine.

The Dirgha breath, known as the three-part breath, has been known to oxygenate the blood throughout the body, while calming the mind and enhancing introversion. “Don’t fail me now,” I thought.

I delved deeper and deeper until I could almost hear my heartbeat. I was warm, content and focused to the point where I was in a blissful subconscious state.

The music and the breath slowly brought me into a quiet meditative space, where I could hear my soul sing. Then my body and mind stunned itself to silence.

The next thing I remember was the faint sound of a snowmobile. “It’s daylight,” I thought. “I made it!” I prayed to the higher divinity. Please, come this way.

The sound of the snowmobile grew stronger. The engine stopped, and I heard a knock on my window.

A man’s voice, said, “Are you OK?” I couldn’t move in my burrito state, so I wiggled around and replied, “Hi, I’m OK.” He said he’d be back in 30 minutes with some help.

That night, sitting by the fire in my cottage by the lake, with an extra-large piece of vegetarian lasagna, my chocolate lab, Hadley, and my favorite book, I stopped for a moment, gazed into the flames and thanked God.

And that’s how yoga saved my life.

Carlene Sullivan lives in Conway. This is her first piece for the Mirror.