How to Improve Breathing Habits
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Regulating the breath:
A significant source of the benefit one receives from practicing the internal arts is from the breath work. The quality of our breath can be directly correlated to our quality of life. Smooth, deep breaths clear the mind and energize the body. As infants we have a natural habit of these deep abdominal breaths. For the vast majority of us this natural way of breathing has been lost be the time we are adults. (Usually well before adulthood) Our air has been relegated to the upper portion of our chest and is bound by the residue of many habitual daily tensions. Oxygen is our fuel, what drives our bodies and minds. When we allow our source of energy to be throttled and compromised we are setting ourselves on a path toward illness and stagnation. While there are many advanced breathing techniques and patterns to be worked, the first and primary goal should be to return to that natural, deep, abdominal breath.
Steps
- While sitting or standing with the spine straight take a few breaths to relax and settle into your position.
- Now, place the palm of one hand on your lower abdomen and the other on the small of your back. As you inhale, feel your core pressing out on each palm and relax the perineum (the pelvic floor). Don’t tense any muscles to do so, just let the air push the diaphragm down and expand the lower torso. As you exhale, don’t push the air out. Gradually relax and let the air flow out, drawing the walls of the lower torso in with it. Once this begins to feel natural you can relax the arms and breathe with the use of the palms.
- Now, begin to stretch the breath and release all of those habits of tension. Inhale for a slow count of four, exhale for a slow count of four.
- As this becomes comfortable lengthen the count to six, then eight, twelve, etc. There is no limit to how far you can work the breath as long as you are inhaling and exhaling smoothly without pause. Play this breathing pattern for anywhere from five to thirty minutes.
Tips
- At any time that your breathing becomes tense or you want to gasp, relax and breathe however feels comfortable. Once your body is calmed you can come back to the breath work.
- From here one progresses into maintaining this quality of breath while stretching or moving and then throughout the activities of the day. Successfully reintegrating abdominal breathing is the first step. The list of benefits from this practice is lengthy: from reduced stress, enhanced immunity, to less susceptibility to emotional upheaval and several others. There are many different levels one can reach with the breath work. For now though this will suffice. This can be a rewarding and beneficial practice in and of itself.
- It is vital to cultivate a daily practice. Our bodies are in constant use. If we do not take the time to care for them, then we can only expect that they will gradually become worn and run down. Fortunately, we are really quite resilient. Even a small time commitment of half an hour a day will go a long way toward preserving and enhancing our health. A small piece of time solely devoted to doing right by ourselves and our bodies. No excuses. No rationalization about being busy. For the vast majority of us there is no reason not to take this basic self care time. If you are reading this, you are in that majority. We all have our individual priorities. If you want to live your life with vitality and health then a daily practice must become one of them.
Warnings
- If you find yourself becoming persistently light-headed stop your practice session and breath casually for a while before continuing.
- Don't force longer breaths. It is good to play the edge of your comfort zone but forcing the breath causes tension which is counter-productive.
Sources and Citations
- Based on Qigong training at Northwest Internal Arts
.also see Pranayama meaning "restraint of the prana or breath"
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