Now take another deeeeep breath...

By Manjit Ubhi on Oct 18, 08 05:20 PM

Moving on from the blog last time on the importance of the breath I thought it would be good to look into this in more depth and perhaps include some exercises that I often share with my clients to help them to take more control of their mind body state.

As we shared earlier we take for granted this most profound life force in our body.
In the East at the core of all yogic practices is breath control ( known as Pranayama) although in its translation to West with the help of the likes of Madonna, yoga has been regarded more for its physical health benefits above the mind body spiritual aspects.

Deep breathing is known to help nourish the physical body, helping to keep every cell properly oxygenated and enable the functions of metabolism and elimination.

Proper breathing helps concentration, enables greater clarity and awareness to deal with quite complex situations without becoming overwhelmed or stressed. It also creates emotional stability through a balance between the two sides of the brain

The right side of the brain processes your emotions, intuition and is the 'feminine centre' whilst the left side is objective and logical and the 'masculine centre'

By calming and controlling your breath you will be able to focus, manage your emotions, balance your mind and sharpen your mental abilities.

Yogis are known to practice for hours a day and perform extraordinary feats of control by slowing down the breath and heart rate until they are virtually undetectable.
So whilst most of do not have the time or the inclination to do this we can benefit from learning some of the techniques which we can incorporate into our daily routine:

Full Yogic Breathing:

Sit comfortably on a cushion on the floor cross legged if possible or if not on a chair with your feet flat on the floor

Put one hand on your ribcage and the other on your abdomen
Inhale slowly, feeling the abdomen expand first and then the ribcage and feel the air filling the upper chest

Hold the breath in the body for three beats

Then exhale, allowing the air to leave from the lower lung first then the middle then the top part

Hold the 'emptiness' for three beats

Then inhale again into the abdomen, middle then upper chest

Hold the fullness for three beats

Exhale from the lower, middle then top part

Repeat this simple but extraordinary breathing technique on a regular basis, every single day and see how it clears your mind, soothes your nervous system, can help lower your blood pressure, slow down your heart rate, lower your anxiety and make you feel alive and energised!

Abdominal breathing:

Lying flat on your back, place one hand on the abdomen to feel it rising and falling and close your mouth and breathe gently through your nose. Make sure you use the diaphragm by drawing the air into the lower parts of the lungs

The breaths should be deep and slow.

Alternative Nostril Breathing:

This is a very popular exercise that can very quickly balance your nervous system, slow your heart rate and help you feel calm and centred after only a few minutes.

This practice also helps create a wonderful synergy between the left and right brain hemispheres.
Use it to prepare you for meditation or for as refresher any time during the day

*Sit up straight, with you left hand on your knee
*Place your right hand against your face
*Let the thumb close your right nostril, the index and middle finger will rest against your forehead in the middle of your brow and your ring finger goes across the nose to close the left nostril.
*Close your eyes or lower them to gaze softly ahead
*Close your right nostril with your and breathe in through the left nostril
*Release the right nostril and close the left with your ring finger
*Breathe out slowly and then in again through he right nostril
*Then open the left nostril and close the right and breathe out
*This is round one
*Do about six rounds
*Then breathe naturally
*Then repeat a few more times

Avoid doing these exercises straight after a meal as when the stomach is full it presses against the diaphragm and you might end up breathing out more than just stale air!.

As you go about your daily life always keep your spine straight and stretched whether you are standing, sitting, kneeling, walking or lying down as this will allow the free flow of energy and air and maximum expansion of the lung.