Breath ~ The Healer Within, part II

We talked about the importance of deep breathing in the previous article. Here's a very simple technique that you can use to deepen your breath.

Let me share a simple deep breathing technique with you that I am sure everyone can do and will bring a breath of fresh air literally and figuratively in your lives. Few things to remember are

1. Sit straight in a chair or another comfortable spot.

2. Take a deep inhale thru your nose. Feel your chest and then your belly expand.

3. If you can place one hand on your belly, try a bit dramatically to let your belly expand with the hand.

4. Hold the breath for a moment.

5. Exhale gently through the nose. If you must use your mouth, purse your lips and let the air leave your body slowly as if you are going to blow some candles.

6. Rest for a moment.

As you can see, A deep breath has four components: Inhale, Hold, Exhale , Rest.

Inhale is always done thru the nose. If you are holding for too long than you may not be able to control your exhale. The rest at the end of exhale is the moment when literally nothing happens or Shunya in Sanskrit. This allows the next inhale to have more vigor.

Both inhale and exhale should be slow, long and steady. Imagine the flow of a gentle river as you let that breath enter and then leave your body. You can make that exhale either as long as the inhale or even longer. Remember, you are trying to get rid of the apana or the useless stuff so you can create more room for the prana or good energy in your body.

Try to incorporate deep breathing in your daily routines and see how you feel. The only tools you need to get started is your will and awareness. Heal yourself with the most basic thing we all own and perhaps take for granted. You can never do too much of deep breathing! Enjoy a private moment with your breath!

Namaste’

Ritu Kapur is the owner of Sohum Yoga and Meditation Studio. She is an Occupational Therapist and a Certified Yoga Teacher. She takes pride in using yoga as a healing technique for her patients. She teaches yoga for people with physical disabilities, injuries and/or chronic pain. Please visit her website www.SOHUM.org for details on the classes offered at her studio in Westborough, MA. Email: ritu.kapur@Sohum.org