Breathe Deep: How to Breathe Deeply, Breathing Exercises

ONE PART BREATH

We recommend that you find a place where you feel safe, comfortable and grounded, with nothing to distract you. Perhaps in your garden, or a quiet room in your home. As you become more familiar with BreatheStrong™, you can experiment with these techniques in public, while you are walking along the street, when you are in a store and shopping, or even while you are watching a movie.

The BreatheStrong™ exercises are done without tension, or judgement, if you are having difficulty focusing your mind, or keeping track of the number of breaths, don’t worry, just bring your awareness back to the practice. The smoothness and focus will develop the more you practice.

You can practice BreatheStrong™ in four different ways. Each one is as effective, and relaxing, as the other. SITTING is recommended for the very beginner, so that you are not distracted by discomfort in your legs or arms. STANDING can be done after a level of comfort, familiarity and rhythm is established in SITTING. Integrating BreatheStrong™ into MOVEMENT will give you the understanding and ability to breathe deeply as you go through any activity during the rest of your day. RECLINING is specifically recommended if you have very low energy due to health issues or an injury, and you are building your strength slowly.

The following ONE PART BREATH exercise can be done sitting.

THE BREATH:

In BreatheStrong™, we breathe through the nostrils, and not through the mouth. Breathe into your lower abdomen, filling from the bottom of the lungs up to the tops of the lungs. Breathe out, emptying from the bottom of the lungs up to the tops of the lungs, your lower abdomen moving inward to expel the breath moving out of the nostrils.

THE MIND:

Sit in awareness of yourself, of how you are breathing. After a moment of observation, bring your awareness to your lower abdomen, to a point about two inches below your navel and two inches inside your body.

Rest in the awareness of your lower abdomen. Notice how the act of being aware has affected your breathing, slowing it down. Now, consciously (with mindfulness), perform the One Part Breath:

ONE PART BREATH

The One Part Breath is done by filling the torso completely with one breath, from the lower abdomen up to the collarbone. You will pause and then expel the air completely, from the lower abdomen to the collarbone.

Exhale gently. Inhale, through the nose, and slowly fill the abdominal area, and moving upward fill the middle and then the upper lungs, until all the available space is filled with air. Pause briefly.

Then gently exhale through the nose, beginning with the abdominal area and moving up to the middle and upper lungs until all air has been expelled from the lungs (your lower abdomen should move inward to assist with the breath moving out). Pause briefly.

Begin again, inhale and exhale One Part Breath for a total of three times.

And then allow yourself to breathe gently and naturally, and notice, without distraction, how you are feeling.