Breathing properly can increase your ability to relax, heal and concentrate. The parasympathetic nervous system, or the body's involuntary functioning, is affected by learning to breathe correctly. Breathing techniques that enhance the body's ability to heal itself are called Pranayama.
Instructions
Witness the Breath's Pattern
1. Awareness of inhalation and exhalation requires practice. Begin by thinking only of the breath, letting go of any other thoughts or concerns. Witness the inhale, the exhale, and any pauses in between. Notice whether breathing is easy or difficult, whether the breath is shallow or quick.
2. Take a deep breath and notice your body. How are you? What posture are you holding? Make yourself comfortable so that your inhale and exhale can become natural and even. Sitting on the edge of a chair or lying flat supports your back as you practice breathing consciously.
3. Place your hands on your abdomen. Feel your abdomen extend out with your inhale. Exhale and relax your shoulders. Adjust your scapulae by rolling them up and back, inward and down toward the hips, as your crown lifts. Notice how your next inhale expands the abdomen, chest, ribs and the throat (clavicle) areas. Notice all four sides of the torso expanding with your inhale. Exhale and let go of the effort to expand. Feel yourself releasing tension along the spine from the crown of your head to the tailbone.
4. Practice balancing the breath by counting the inhale 4 seconds, pause 2 seconds, exhale 4 seconds. Experiment with the number of seconds for each part of the breath. A good rule is equal time for inhale and exhale. Continue practicing belly breathing from the abdomen upward into the throat and exhaling throat, chest, then abdomen.
5. A Pranayama exercise that helps to maintain focus on the breath is Ujjayi. This breath is used to control the flow of air through the trachea. Relax all your muscles as you do Ujjayi breathing, especially your facial muscles. This is described as "Darth Vader breathing," or fogging a mirror. You tilt your chin slightly inward to close the glottis, such that the exhale creates a hissing noise. Repeat this breathing practice for at least 10 rounds of inhaling and exhaling.
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