Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises can help to calm the body and mind and prepare us for meditation. They can also be used anytime during the day when we are feeling rushed, anxious, irritated, angry, hot, sluggish, tired or if we simply need to feel more centered.

Breath of Fire: This rapid forceful breath is cleansing for the body and helps to clear the mind. This purifying breath is particularly helpful if you are feeling low energy, downhearted or unable to focus.

Draw the navel towards the spine as you forcefully exhale the breath through the nose. The inhale (also through the nose) should rapidly follow without much effort. Relax the face and forehead and focus the breath on the diaphragm as you continue. Begin with 20 or 30 seconds and work your way up to a few minutes.

Visual Alternate Nostril Breathing: This soothing breath helps to balance the different hemispheres of the brain and clam the mind. This technique is particularly helpful if you are feeling anxious our uneasy.

Bring your awareness to your breath. Close the mouth and feel the breath move across the nostrils as you inhale and exhale. Bring your attention to your left nostril and on your next inhale imagine you are breathing in through just that nostril. Then, as you exhale, bring your awareness to the right nostril and imagine you are exhaling just through the right nostril. Then inhale through the right and exhale through the left. Continue this pattern. Inhaling through one side, exhaling through the other, inhaling through that same side and then exhaling through the first. Then again, inhaling through the first side, etc… Please don’t become frustrated by trying to force the breath. You are simply imagining this in your mind. You may also feel it in your body, but if you don’t feel it in the way you would like, don’t worry. You are still getting the benefit from the exercise. Simply use your attention and intention to direct the breath, alternating from one side to the other. When you are finished take a few breaths imagining the breath flowing equally through both nostrils.

Sounding (Victorious) Breath: This calming, cooling breath helps to nourish the body, slow the breathing and quiet the mind. This breathing technique is particularly helpful if you are feeling irritated, angry or hot.

This breath is done through the nose and you feel a slight contraction in the throat. To begin, imagine there is a small tube in your throat and you are inhaling through that tube. Then, as you exhale make the “haa” sound without the “aa.” Continue this same pattern. Although it is not necessary to be loud you should be able to hear your breath., which may sound similar to the sound of the ocean.

If you experiment with these and other breathing techniques you may find one that is particularly helpful to you for settling down before your meditation session. You may also find yourself becoming more aware of your breath during your other activities and find ways to naturally use that awareness to become more centered.