I was in a yoga class and the instructor tells us before we begin to count our heart rate. Then our breathing rate. I can’t do this? Everytime I try I wind up holding my breath or not doing it. I can’t just sit back and count it without someway interfering.
Is this just me or what?
I asked the instructor and she said it’s like being aware of your movements, now that really creeped me out. She went on to say many automatic functions, like even standing are controlled NOT automatic, but you don’t realize you’re controlling them.
Then she went on to use the example, it’s like trying to explain to someone how to point to something. She said "you’re mind decides what it wants to do, tells your brain which tells your nerves which tells the muscles and the muscles then move the arm up and the finger in the pointing position. She says "that is what is really going on but in reality it’s a conscious function you just don’t think of it like that.
Now that was really freaky if you stop to think about everything you.
In short the yoga class got me more tense than calm.
So I guess the question is it ME who just can’t count their breathing rate without stopping. 
I wasn’t sure if this was a general question or a “in my opinion” so mods you can move it their if you think it is more of an opinion.
Your yoga teacher cracks me up.
I’d say anything you do without conscious effort is automatic. Like standing upright and breathing. Of course it is “controlled.” Everything your body does is controlled in some fashion, so that really isn’t the point at all. The question is how much, if any, conscious effort is involved.
As for counting your breath rate, it’s you. I have no problem at all keeping my breathing “normal” while counting it. I’m currently taking 12 breaths a minute. Try this trick. Watch the clock until the the second hand hits twelve and then close your eyes and relax and breathe normally. After three breaths, open your eyes and see where the second hand is. Do the math.
I think its plain weird, or maybe I am. Having just tried to count my breath rate I instantly think about it too much and start taking shallow breaths and feeling odd. But then I am odd.
Do it for awhile. You’ll either reach equilibrium or pass out.
That’s not odd at all. Breathing is an automatic function, but the conscious mind can override the automatic function. This is necessary because we sometimes use breath to our advantage: starting a fire, playing a musical instrument, inflating a balloon, going under water, etc. Other automatic functions like heart rate and blood pressure can be consciously controlled also; it’s just more difficult and takes training.
Even as I’m reading this thread, the fact that I’m thinking about breathing is changing my breathing. I’m breathing self-consciously right now, not exactly sure when is the right time to take a breath. It will go away in a few minutes, as soon as I stop thinking about it.
There was a comedian (maybe George Carlin?) who used to do a bit about getting stoned and suddenly saying, “I forgot how to breathe”, which is funny because it’s happened to many of us. Drugs alter your awareness so that you might notice things you normally don’t notice, and you might fixate on your breathing to a point that you disrupt it.