Breathing exercises
Breathing mindfully helps to ground, restore and balance you. As your breath lengthens and deepens a range of physiological changes take place that can increase your ability to improve your health and wellbeing. Start slowly just a few minutes is fine to begin with. Once you feel comfortable with an exercise and can move through it with ease move to the next.
- Diaphragmatic breath
Sit or lie comfortably with a straight spine, freedom of chest and belly, and without impingement on your joints. Place one or two hands gently over your lower belly.
Begin by taking a deep breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth – do this a few times and just settle in your position as you begin to feel the sensation of breathing.
Now if possible draw your inhale and exhale through your nose only.
Spend the next few rounds of breathing drawing your breath a little deeper down your spine toward your lower belly region. Imagining this can help – follow your breath up and down the line of your spine going a little further each time.
Eventually you will feel your lower belly rise with your inhale and fall with your exhale. This is diaphragmatic breath. No need to force your breath or try too hard to make extra-long or deep breaths just allow your breath to naturally slow a little. Spend some time experiencing the qualities and sensations of each breath. The subtle movements in your body, the expansion in all directions of your chest, the texture, temperature, fluidity, and start, middle and finish portion of each inhale and exhale. Try to follow each inhale to the very top and each exhale to the very bottom – Your breath like the waves of the ocean; ever changing, always moving, never stopping.
- Four Corner breathing
Establish a diaphragmatic breath in a comfortable seated position. Close your eyes or draw your gaze down the line of your nose to help settle your mind. Spend a few rounds of breath just feeling the sensations of your breath and then start to deepen and lengthen your breaths for another few rounds. Once you feel calm and settled in your body and breath draw a deep inhale through your nose and direct it to the front of your chest, in front of your heart feeling your ribs expand forwards, and then exhale through an open mouth from this same space. Repeat this 3 times. Then shift the direction of your breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth, to the sides of your rib cage, feeling your ribs expand sidewards. Repeat this 3 times. Now shift the direction of your breath to the back of chest, behind your shoulder blades, to feel your ribs expand backwards. Repeat this 3 times. Then take your breath direction to the base of your throat, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Feel the place behind your collar bones fill with breath, lift and expand. Repeat this 3 times.
Lastly, inhaling deeply though your nose and exhaling through your mouth send your breath in all 4 directions at once – forward, sideward, backward, and upward to completely fill and empty your body. Repeat this 6 times.
Now return to a gentle diaphragmatic breath and return your gaze to normal.
- Four Part breathing
Establish a diaphragmatic breath in a comfortable seated or lying position. Close your eyes or draw your gaze down the line of your nose to help settle your mind. Spend a few rounds of breath just feeling the sensations of your breath and then start to deepen and lengthen your breaths for another few rounds. Imagine you are following your inhales from the bottom right to the very top and your exhales from the top to the very bottom. Now as you reach the top of your inhale draw your awareness to the momentary pause or space at the top before your exhale begins, then when your exhale reaches the bottom, draw your awareness to the momentary pause or space at the bottom before your inhale begins. Observe this for a few rounds of breath. When you feel comfortable with just observing the pauses or spaces start to linger in them a little longer. Continue like this with the eventual aim, over time, to lengthen your pauses or spaces to equal the duration of your inhales and exhales. Counting in your head may help this. For example, you may inhale for the silent count of 4 and hold your pause or space at the top of the inhale for the same count of 4, you then exhale for the same count of 4 and hold your breath out in the empty pause or space for the 4 count before continuing with the next round. It may take you some time to comfortably establish 4 equal parts to your breath cycle, which is normal. What is important is to never force your breath cycle or allow it to lead you to feelings of faintness or nausea, just relax and slowly build all parts of your breath as you feel ready.
You can use the resting in the pauses or spaces to influence your energetic state. You can do this by choosing to retain your breath in at the top of the inhale ONLY, to stimulate or increase energy levels, or by choosing to retain your breath out at the bottom of the exhale ONLY, to reduce or calm energy levels.
- Right and left nostril breathing
Establish a diaphragmatic breath in a comfortable seated position. Close your eyes or draw your gaze down the line of your nose to help settle your mind. Spend a few rounds of breath just feeling the sensations of your breath and then start to deepen and lengthen your breaths for another few rounds. Imagine you are following your inhales from the bottom right to the very top and your exhales from the top to the very bottom.
Now take your first finger of your left hand and place it gently on your left nostril to block the airway. Continue to breathe only through your right nostril. Breathing through your right nostril will enhance your energy level and alertness. Just breathe comfortably and calmly in and out through your right nostril. You may choose to deepen and lengthen your breaths a little or to emphasise your inhale over your exhale to further enhance the natural uplift of this breath. Take some time to be aware of the sensations and quality of your breath. After 5 mins (or less if preferred – perhaps 20 breaths), swap hands and place the first finger of your right hand on your right nostril to block the airway and continue to breathe only through your left nostril. Breathing through your left nostril will relax and calm you. Just breathe comfortably and calmly in and out through your left nostril. You may choose to deepen and lengthen your breaths a little or to emphasise your exhale over your inhale to further enhance the natural relaxing qualities of this breath. Take some time to be aware of the sensations and quality of your breath. After 5 mins (or less if preferred – perhaps 20 breaths), remove your finger from your nostril and breathe through both sides of your nose evenly and naturally, taking the time to experience your breath as it is.
If breathing exercises lead to discomfort or dizziness discontinue the exercise and seek professional advice. Remember your breath can never be left behind, it costs nothing, and can make a distinct impact on your mental, emotional, and physical self.