Respiration and Emotion

Gasps, sighs, and yawns are recognized by even a casual observer as involuntary expressions of emotion through the "medium" of respiration. Scientific observation has focused on sensation and behaviour as researchers investigate the relation of emotion and stress in disorders such as asthma, hyperventilation, and panic disorder. The interplay of psychological factors and physiological responses is approached from an interdisciplinary perspective in this book. It brings together the work of physiologists, psychologists, and researchers in behavioural medicine, together with specialists and practitioners of traditional Japanese arts and culture. Knowledge of the art and control of breathing, which are essential features of such disciplines as Zen and Noh, opens a new and unexplored path for scientists seeking to understand the relation between respiration and emotion.