To the brain, each time you take a BREATH a new "sentence" has begun.
Airflow sentences are thought of in terms of natural, normal
inhalations [wherever you would NORMALLY breathe]-- each time you
need to take a breath, the next word is, for our purposes, the start
of a new sentence and should be said as though it were the only word
you were going to say.
Airflow works as follows:
First, rest. Intend to REST.. no to speak. When you think about
speaking, your vocal muscles are getting SET to speak. Thus, some
tension is required. When you think about a particular word, you
begin to PREFORM it. Airflow requires mastery of a mental trick:
Intending to REST/relax..instead of speaking..
then, as an afterthought-- you say the first word.. [trick #2] as
though it were the only word you were going to say..
Once you've done that, you are free to speak the rest of the sentence
any way you like...
What you are describing as a "pause" is not something people "do"---
It is just a natural outset of properly intending to say the first
syllable as though it were the only word you were going to say....
It is a simple concept that many people have a tendency to
overcomplicate/analyze in the beginning --and I understand.
The idea is:
1. REST --breathe just as you would if you were standing still NOT
speaking and not INTENDING to speak [if you use a certain tape
recorder w/ no windscreen and breathe into it--you can hear the
difference between breathing w/ intended speech vs. no intent VERY
clearly-- the proper, no-intent breath creates what is called FLUTTER-
- sort of a gentle/ocean breeze like sound... Flutter indicates a
proper airflow-- People learning airflow practice for many hours w/
tape recorders---adding increasing stress/distraction--while ensuring
they have flutter]...
2. on a natural, normal exhalation-- say the first word..comfortably,
gently..as though it were the ONLY word you were going to say...
3. Proceed to speak any way you like until the next time your body
needs to take a breath and then repeat.
Don't expect to walk out into the "real world" doing this easily
tomorrow-- There is a specific currciulum-- a buildup of exercises to
follow to get to a point of being able to use it in ALL Situations...
Of course, you may be the rare person that hears it, learns it, and
becomes fluent all over on your own too ! Go for it!
I didn't do airflow to become fluent. I was given a DAF machine
combined w/ steps #2 and #3 above--and the series of exercises,
curriculum-- and followed all of the other protocols including
nutritional supplements, the bath tub technique, educating and
demonstrating, monitoring, and more.. [these are all sub-techniques
for reducing psychological base level tension described in the
literature]