What Does Your Breath Mean To You?
What Does Your Breath Mean To You?
I was asked this question a couple of weeks ago at a teacher training module on pranayama and meditation. Several years ago my answer would have been pretty basic. My breath allows me to stay alive and it takes care of itself. Now after learning, studying, observing my breath and practicing various breathing techniques, I know my breath is a powerful tool that I can use to change and enhance my physical health and mental well-being.
We can use the breath to heal our bodies and minds of various ailments, dis-ease, and afflictions. The breath is our life force (Prana). It flows through us without a second thought on our part. We often don’t notice the breath until our attention is brought to it, for example, we might experience fear and notice we are holding our breath, or if we are ill we may experience shortness of breath, and a tight or constricted sensation as the breath moves in and out, or we may feel “out of breath” during an intense cardio session at the gym.
From our first breath to our very last breath, we can use this life force to bring healing and peace into our everyday lives.
One of the first steps in using your breath as a tool for healing is to become aware of how you breath. You can begin with a short breath awareness practice by either sitting in a chair or laying down, softening the gaze or closing the eyes, and just witnessing your breath as it moves in and out of your body. Can you discern where you are feeling your breath the most. You might notice the flow of breath in and out of your nose, or you might notice your breath coming from the chest, ribs or belly or a combination. Take a few minutes in a breath awareness practice to notice if there is any tightness in your breath. Become aware of the subtle pause at the top of the inhale and bottom of the exhale. What other subtleties in the breath can you notice?
Here are 3 Pranayama practices you can begin with to start using your breath as a tool for healthy living.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Also known as abdominal or belly breathing. The diaphragm is a large dome shaped muscle sitting just below the lungs and above the abdominal cavity. During inhalation the diaphragm contracts creating more space within the lungs and allowing the intercostal muscles to expand within the rib cavity, allowing for a deeper inhalation. Begin by placing your hands over your abdomen and focus on your belly expanding as you inhale through your nose, and allow the abdomen to release as you exhale through your nose. Practice for 5 to 10 minutes and begin to notice how this breath allows the rib cage to naturally expand, creating more space within the lungs, thereby allowing for a deeper breath.
3 Part Breath (Dirgha Swasom): This is a foundational breath in yoga. Inhale from the belly, to the ribs to the chest/collarbone and exhale from the chest to the ribs to the belly, taking a full yogic breath. This breath is calming and grounding and is an excellent way to start a yoga or pranayama practice as it helps to engage the diaphragm and to fill up the lungs with a full breath. It creates mindful awareness by visualizing and/or feeling the beginning, middle and end of both the inhale and exhale. Practice this breath for 3-5 minutes.
Extended Exhale Breath: Begin with finding a full and even inhale and exhale for 4-5 rounds of breath. Slowly begin to extend the exhale out longer than the inhale. Working up to a 1:2 ratio. For example, inhale for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 8. You might just begin with inhaling for 3 and exhaling for a count of 4 or 5, and gradually work to extend the exhale to twice the length of the inhale. The more you practice over time, the greater your lung capacity becomes. Also, exhaling through pursed lips helps to extend the exhale out longer. Be mindful of keeping the breath relaxed and not forcing on either the inhale or exhale.
Begin to explore your breath as a tool for healthy living by practicing breath awareness and finding one or two breathing techniques you can incorporate into a daily practice. Give yourself some time and you will likely be in awe of how amazing your breath actually is, and how much it can change your life.
