Breathing Meditations are often seen as the 'mother' of relaxation techniques. Seen from an oriental perspective, Prana, Chi, Ki, also known as the universal lifepower or energy, are an essential part of oxygen and thus of our breathing. Through the practicing of Breathing Techniques and Meditations, we can learn to control the subtle energies in our body, the ultimate aim being is to have complete control over our mind. Seen from a western perspective, we use Breathing Techniques mainly to relax when tense or when giving birth.
Breathing is a top indicator of how body and mind are feeling at this moment. Are we stressed, upset, happy, nervous, or putting in too much effort, just look at your breath and you will know at once. Moreover, we see that in western medicine, sports, and psychiatry, oriental Breathing Techniques are applied. We can change the speed or the place of our breath to relax. Our breathing is a suitable Meditation object because it is always there, anytime, anywhere, in a more or less constant and even rhythm. Moreover, you can apply Breathing Meditation Techniques anytime, anywhere - in the living room, at work, during a traffic jam, during moments of stress, etc.
Finally, when we look at effect, Breathing Techniques have two major advantages. Not only our body and mind relax through the Meditations, but our breathing itself improves as well. It is not very surprising then that many Meditation Techniques are based on breathing! On this page, we explain how breathing works and in our section on Meditation, you will find several Meditations based on our breathing.
How does our Breathing work?
With every breath, we provide the body with oxygen which is passed on to the blood by the lungs. Through the blood, the oxygen reaches the rest of the body where the oxygen is transformed into energy. In reverse order, waste products are transported back to our lungs where they are breathed out, mainly in the form of carbon dioxide.
In general, we can breathe in two ways. In the first place, we can breathe through our diaphragm and abdomen. Secondly, we can breathe through our chest, also known as chest breathing. Normally speaking, our breathing is a combination of the two. In actual practice, we see that many people use chest breathing. This breathing is relatively superficial, uneven, and also often a bit tight. When we are tense, it is often recommended to use abdominal respiration.
The diaphragm is a thin muscular partition between the chest and the abdomen, also called as the midriff. The midriff is sensitive to tension and strongly reacts to psychological disorders. A cramped midriff results into a cramped and imperfect way of breathing.
When we use abdominal respiration, the midriff contracts and moves down, which results in air being sucked into our lungs. The deeper the midriff is pushed down during breathing, the more air will enter our lungs. It is the same for breathing out; the midriff relaxes, moves up, and maximum discharge of the lung contents is the result.
A combination of chest and abdominal respiration enables us to breathe in a maximum amount of air and breathe the used air out again. It is obvious that when you only use chest breathing, you can inhale less oxygen and transport less used air.
Breathing is a continuous, vital function that works automatically and with which, in principle, we need not occupy ourselves. At the same time, it is also a function that we can actually control consciously.
It is, however, true that many people get confused when trying to follow or change their breathing. This is normal and with some exercise and patience, almost everybody succeeds in dealing with breathing actively and consciously. This is good news because, in general, our breathing changes according to circumstances. When angry or upset, the frequency and power of our breathing will increase. When sleeping or in a very deep state of relaxation, we will, most of the time, breathe more slowly and exhale longer. This is a very logical process. When the body needs more energy because of, for instance danger, breathing will increase. When needing only little energy, breathing will decrease.
Our breathing tells us much about the state of our mind at this particular moment. When breathing quietly, deeply, and evenly most of the time, we really are in a relaxed state of mind. When the breathing is unquiet, superficial, and uneven, we are often irritable, tense, and we find it difficult to concentrate.
Unfortunately, our mind is often wrong and the danger that we see is, most of the time, not that bad. Work, an insult, rain instead of sunshine, traffic jams, delays etc. do not have to be life - threatening! When breathing in the right way at these moments, one can create a relaxation response that very often, if not always, can take away unnecessary tension.
Therefore, our breathing is not only of life importance but also an instrument with which we can see when, for example, we experience stress and with which we are also able to influence our physical and mental condition.
To check how your breathing is going at this very moment, just sit down and put a hand on your belly. Put your other hand on your chest where your breastbone is. Which parts of your belly and chest are moving when you breathe? When you breathe optimally, you feel your stomach muscles expand first, then the chest and finally the upper part of your chest. Don't worry when you do not use a full breathing technique or only breathe from your chest, you are not the only one. Just realize that there is still much progress to be made in breathing and by doing so, you can also give your health, vitality, and peace of mind quite a new impulse. We can guarantee that when you do your breathing exercises regularly or meditate on your breathing, observing your breathing will become a piece of cake and that your breathing itself will improve!
Three Breathing Techniques for Quick Relaxation
Breathing is a top indicator of how body and mind are feeling at this particular moment. Are we stressed, anxious, happy, nervous, or exerting ourselves? Just pay attention to your breathing and you will know at once. During a meeting, conversation, activity, or sports achievement, you notice that your breathing is short, a bit panicky, and high, then this will mean that your body is in a state of alarm (fight-or flight reaction). This reaction of our body is quite normal, it prepares us optimally for possible danger.
When we end up in a fight-or-flight situation, the sympathetic nerve system will make sure that the metabolism, breathing, and blood pressure will increase, several hormones will be released (for instance adrenaline) and that muscle tension increases. Fortunately, nature has seen to it that we still use another part of our nerve system, the parasympathetic nerve system, which mainly deals with relaxation. This system works best when we are relaxed and is mainly responsible for the recovery and growth of our body cells, assimilation, and building up our reserves. These two nerve systems work like communicating vessels and normally speaking, these should be in balance. Through our breathing and Meditations we can, generally speaking, activate a relaxation response that helps our body to return to the proper balance and to relax again.
We can use our breathing to relax quickly and to get control of the situation again:
Deep and regular breathing When under heavy pressure, this will help to change your tight, superficial, and often short breathing into a deep, even, and constant breathing.
Start your inhalation from your belly, to your ribs and midriff, and finally up to the upper part of your chest. For breathing out, do the same thing the other way round - from your chest to your belly again. This type of breathing makes sure that the energy that you will need to get things under control again flows into you and is a bit similar to the way you breathe during sports, for instance. Your breathing is not superficial, high, and uneven anymore. Mind you, you are still in a state of agitation but you are in control again.
Long exhalations Often only a few deep, long exhalations are enough to relax. The exhalations must be longer than the inhalations. Through this type of breathing, we trigger the relaxation response that should slowly take us back to the balance in which normally, we are relaxed. Do not get alarmed when sometimes emotions or tiredness are released when we start to relax. This is a transitional phase to...
Natural, relaxed breathing Here, we let the breathing have its way and do whatever it likes. We observe without controlling it. There should be no tension and everything goes smoothly and wonderful!
You can use this routine throughout the day, as often as you like. When you feel your breathing is superficial and tense, just perform step/s 1,2, and/or 3 and the stress is gone in no time! When things are not that easy, you can also do our Meditation 'warming up' exercises. It is super effective, but not very suitable to be performed in public, because you will need to close your nostrils, left and right alternately, with your fingers. Good luck!
Breathing
deserves much more importance and attention than the article has
given.Breathing is,first of all,for our existence.It is central to our life and
death.Then it is central to our health and well being.Improper breathing will
immediately affect our body and mind.Since as we grow under stress and
tension(which has become routine part of our urban life),our breath ceases to
be natural.It becomes shallower and shallower.Compare it with the way a six
month child breaths,and you understand the difference.As breathing gradually
becomes shallower,what we technically call chest breathing,it further causes
stress and tension.The result is that today most of health problems-blood
pressure,hypertension,asthma,heart problems,dementia,and even cancer,arthritisetc.
can be ascribed to improper way of breathing.So if you watch and improveyour breathing,you can watch and improve your
entire health.
Slow,deep,rhythmic
breathing does relax but that is a very tiny part of role of breathing.It
improves your quality of blood due to increased oxygenation in the lungs.It
increases the digestion and assimilation of food.It rejunevates pituitary and
pineal glands,and ultimately the brain.It rejunevates the skin.The movements of
diaphragm during proper(deep)breathing massage the heart,and exercise abdominal
organs.It changes your entire thinking about youself,about life,about others
and so on.There is little you cannot achieve by proper breathing.Breathing is
also vital link between physical and astral bodies.In fact breathing affects
each cell of your body,and beyond, even your surroundings.
In my meditation camps
therefore special attention is paid to breathing and pranayam for days and
participants are guided to proper ways of breathing.
And for anyproblem in body or mind(and even for
rexation) alternate nostril breathing is the best.I may submit some articles
about breathing and pranayam shortly.Hopely these will be cleared and printed
so that people can take advantage of them.
'To live in tune with the Universe, we must live in harmony with its laws; and " THE LAW OF THE RHYTHMIC BREATH" gives us the master-key to these laws. Studied, understood, and applied, no other road leads so swiftly to spiritual consciousness.'
'Life is a matter of moment to moment, of unceasing change. Thought is the great dynamic power which determines the nature of the vibrations we draw to us. Directed by a soul-governed will we can make them as harmonious and favorable as needs require. And the deeper, fuller, and slower we breathe, the more do we facilitate these natural operations, upon the perfection of which depends the physical well-being.'
All the paths of Yoga are based upon Prana. Bhakti Yoga or the Yoga of Devotion brings about Pranic transformation by uniting us with the Divine Will and Divine Prana. All Karma Yoga or service is based upon alignment with the Divine Will as well. This also gives us more Prana, not only to act outwardly but for inner development.
There is an old Vedic story about Prana. The five main faculties of our nature - the mind, breath (prana), speech, ear and eye - were arguing with each other as to which one of them was the best and most important.To resolve this dispute they decided that each would leave the body and see whose absence was most missed.
First speech left the body but the body continued though mute. Next the eye left but the body continued though blind. Next the ear left but the body continued though deaf. Mind left but the body continued though unconscious. Finally the Prana began to leave and the body began to die and all the other faculties began to lose their energy. So all they all rushed to Prana and told it to stay, lauding its supremacy. Clearly Prana won the argument. Prana gives energy to all our faculties, without which they cannot function. Without honoring Prana first there is nothing else we can do and no energy with which to do anything. The moral of this story is that to control our faculties the key is the control of Prana.
'When we get habituated to restricted,shallow breathing,as we grow old, the intercostals muscles are forced to work less and they forget their actual functions and finally lose their natural elasticity and the ability to get back to their original shape.'
Our abdomen should be in a relaxed position when we breathe in normally. The breath will be unnatural if we try to push it forwards purposely. Gradually you will develop a potbelly, because your abdominal muscles will weaken and droop. But towards the end of an out breath if there is a slight pull on the abdominal muscles, then it assists the upward movement of the diaphragm leading to a more complex out breath.
"If the Inhalation is rough we do not have to worry, but if the Exhalation is uneven it is a sign of illness, either present or impending."Therefore,we should always pay more attention to exhalation,which we usually do not do.
The first rule for correct breathing is that we should breathe through the nose. Mouth breathing can adversely affect the development of the Thyroid Gland, and can retard the mental development of children.Pathogens can also enter the lungs through mouth breathing that makes it impossible to be healthy.
'Quick shallow breathing results in oxygen starvation which leads to reduced vitality, premature ageing, poor immune system and a myriad of other factors.'
Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.
Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of seven.
Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
This exercise will prove a natural tranquilizer for your nervous system.
'Every breath taken should be so full and so far-reaching that it goes to the uttermost recesses of the lungs. The lungs are filled with impure venous blood that needs purification by oxygen. And the blood, even after it has been made pure, needs oxygen to carry back to all the tissues of the body.
Take a quiet, half breath, and you do not reach all of the impure blood that has been poured into your lungs. Such of the blood as has not been made pure returns to the heart, and in this impure - toxic — state it is pumped throughout the system again. Even the tissues of the healthiest lungs suffer by the passage of blood that enters them and leaves them in an impure state, depositing as it goes, a portion of poisonous matter. A result of this deposit is that the lung tissues become diseased as a matter of course.'
'Breathing supplies over 99% of your entire oxygen and energy supply. Poor breathing causes or worsens chronic maladies such as asthma, allergies, anxiety, fatigue, depression, headaches, heart conditions, high blood pressure, sleep loss, obesity, harmful stress, poor mental clarity plus hundreds of other lesser known but equally harmful conditions. ALL diseases are caused or worsened by poor breathing.'
'Full rhythmic breathing of pure, fresh, cold air is enormously refreshing; it stimulates both body and mind to action. When practiced in the open air and sunshine it acts like a tonic. When mildly practiced, with the thoughts and emotions subdued, it has a calming and restful influence.'
'If a feeling of dizziness is experienced when first practicing the full breath, be assured that it is much needed, for it is an indication of weakness, through disuse, of the lungs and the muscles which sup-port them. Practice frequently, and by degrees increase the lung capacity.'
'While breathing deep,the muscles of the diaphragm must operate up and down, rather than in and out. This action is in harmony with an inward and upward pull of the abdominal muscles.'
Try this breathing exercise for cleansing the lungs-;
Fill the lungs to capacity, using the full breath, then blow three times, on the one breath, expelling the air with force. Exhale thoroughly to be sure that the lungs are entirely empty. The muscles of the abdomen and diaphragm will draw inward and up suddenly and powerfully with each blow. This breath is very invigorating and, if used when fatigued, will increase the circulation and produce a warm glow over the entire body. At the same time it cleanses every crevice of the lungs, dispelling all stale air, and develops the muscles.
Try this breathing exercise for cleansing the lungs-;
Fill the lungs to capacity, using the full breath, then blow three times, on the one breath, expelling the air with force. Exhale thoroughly to be sure that the lungs are entirely empty. The muscles of the abdomen and diaphragm will draw inward and up suddenly and powerfully with each blow. This breath is very invigorating and, if used when fatigued, will increase the circulation and produce a warm glow over the entire body. At the same time it cleanses every crevice of the lungs, dispelling all stale air, and develops the muscles.
'In ordinary breathing we absorb and extract a normal supply of prana, but by controlled and regulated breathing (generally known as Yogi breathing) we are enabled to extract a greater supply, which is stored away in the brain and nerve centers, to be used when necessary. We may store away prana, just as the storage battery stores away electricity.'
Try this breathing exercise.It ventilates and cleanses the lungs, stimulates the cells and gives a general tone to the respiratory organs, and is conducive to their general healthy condition.
(1) Inhale a complete breath.
(2) Retain the air a few seconds.
(3) Pucker up the lips as if for a whistle (but do not swell out the cheeks), then exhale a little air through the opening, with considerable vigor. Then stop for a moment, retaining the air, and then exhale a little more air. Repeat until the air is completely exhaled.
Note that considerable vigor is to be used in exhaling the air through the opening in the lips.
'When the Prana (Vital or Life Force) and mind are controlled, a state of harmony arises—that is Samadhi. As salt thrown in water becomes one with the water, so the controlled mind becomes one with Atma—that is Samadhi.'
'The mind is the master of the organs of sense, the Prana is the master of the mind. When the Prana and the mind are under control the Yogi attains blessed peace, which can only be known by experience.'
'The oxygen in the air is appropriated by the blood and is made use of by the circulatory system. The prana in the air is appropriated by the nervous system and is used in its work.'
"The abdominal area contains the most vital organs, and we must let it pulse. When you tense your stomach all the time, like a perfect statue, you create lower back tension, stiffness and pain."
Basics & Backgrounds
in Dutch
Home
With every breath, we provide the body with oxygen which is passed on to the blood by the lungs. Through the blood, the oxygen reaches the rest of the body where the oxygen is transformed into energy. In reverse order, waste products are transported back to our lungs where they are breathed out, mainly in the form of carbon dioxide.
Print Article
Comment on Article
Write New Article
Search Articles
Profile
Pictures
Reply
Quote