Breathing is an innate and unconscious action that we rarely ever stop to notice. Because no one had to teach us how to breathe, we assume that we are breathing properly. A fundamental principle of yoga is to ‘unlearn’ many of our ingrained habits by observing the things we take for granted, such as breathing.
Reverse Breathing vs. Yogic Breathing
Once we begin to notice how we breathe, most people find that they actually breathe improperly; what yoga calls reverse breathing. This means that we contract our stomach on the inhale, and expand our stomach on the exhale. Reverse breathing is usually joined by shallow breathing – when we are not filling the three sections of our lungs to their full capacity.
Proper yogic breathing may feel awkward at first, because we have to retrain ourselves to breathe the opposite way, filling our lungs from the bottom up, expanding the abdomen and chest as we inhale, and gently contracting the belly as we exhale.
Benefits of Yogic Breathing
Breathing in this way oxygenates the blood by creating a complete exchange of air in the lungs, (meaning that we are exchanging more carbon dioxide for oxygen). Proper yogic breathing also releases tension in your chest and abdomen, and gently massages your organs, which helps digestion. At a psychological level, this way of breathing calms and soothes the mind, while also increasing introspection, focus and mental clarity.
How to Breathe Properly
Here are the first steps to proper yogic breathing, which will benefit you immensely, on and off your yoga mat:
Begin by sitting in easy pose (crossed-legged), on a yoga block or meditation pillow, or if you have tight hips lie down. Place your right hand just below your navel and begin breathing deeply, filling your hand with your lower belly. Slowly invite more breath into your lungs with every inhale, and as you exhale try to gently push out a little more breath. It is important to even out your breath, taking the same length of time on your inhale and your exhale; a simple way to do this is to count for each part of the breath, and get them to the same number.
After ten breaths, place your left palm on your upper belly (at the rib cage) and begin to fill this, the second of the three parts of the lungs. First fill your lower belly, then move up to fill the space under your left hand with air. As you exhale, release your breath from the mid-belly first and then the lower belly. Imagine your lungs like a water glass being filled from the bottom up and then emptied from the top down.
Finally, move your right hand to your sternum or heart-center. Once you have filled the first and second part of your lungs, draw breath into your chest, right up under your collar bones. As you exhale, release your breathe from the top down, refilling your lungs from the bottom up. Continue this practice for at least 5 minutes.
Begin to notice how you breathe throughout your day, and use this technique when you do so. Over time, you will start to retrain your body to breath properly, and be rid of bad breathing habits! This will help you deepen your yoga practice and improve your overall composure.