Three axes, every technique classified
The EYANA Technique Taxonomy
The dozens of named breathing methods are not dozens of things. They are a handful of mechanisms, wearing different names. The taxonomy sorts every technique along three axes, so comparison is honest.
Axis 1 of 3
Axis 1 · By mechanism
Slow breathing and baroreflex
Resonance, coherent, four-to-six, box
Exhale emphasis and vagal activation
Four-to-six, extended exhale, cyclic sighing
CO2 tolerance training
Buteyko, low-intensity breath holds
High ventilation and sympathetic activation
Wim Hof, holotropic, with safety caveats
Airway-modulated
Alternate nostril, nasal breathing training
Axis 2 of 3
Axis 2 · By use case
- Acute calming, under three minutes
- Sustained practice, five to twenty minutes daily
- Performance preparation
- Sleep onset
- Blood pressure adjunct
- Respiratory condition management (asthma, COPD)
Axis 3 of 3
Axis 3 · By evidence tier
The third axis is the Breath Honesty Scale: every technique also carries a rating from 5 (Solid) to 1 (Unsupported). A technique can be popular and still rate low; this axis keeps the difference visible. Every EYANA technique page names all three axes, which makes the catalogue easy to compare and easy to cite.
EYANA is health education, not medical advice. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace your physician, and nothing here is a reason to start, stop, or change any medication or treatment. If you have a heart or lung condition, read the Mogire Contraindication Framework first and talk to your doctor. If you have chest pain, fainting, or a racing heart that will not settle, seek medical care.