For centuries yogis have known that ‘breath is life’ and that by simply returning to the body’s natural way of ‘breathing itself’ this can even help to heal the body when dis-ease has already manifested.

For those people who wish to master yoga first have to master control of their breath, which is the bridge from the body to the mind.

By following these simple tips on how to breathe, you can maintain your health and even improve it!

The Yogi Complete Breath

1. Sit with your spine erect, or lie down on a comfortable but firm surface (typically not your bed, or you will probably just fall asleep!) and simply begin to become aware of your own breath.
2. Take a few conscious inhales and exhales through your nose (this is vital!). Beginners will often find it easier to lie down, especially if they are not used to breathing from the lower abdomen.
3. Bring your attention to the rise and fall of your belly at area of your navel. Breathe in by drawing the breath all the way down into the lower abdomen, below the navel. Once the lower portion is filled, draw the breath to up into the middle portion of the chest, and then finally the upper chest in one smooth movement. Imagine your lungs like two balloons filling up… Imagine the flow of the breath like the tide coming in…
4. Then breathe out in the same way, releasing the breath from all three imagined sections of the lungs… like the tide going out. Ideally, with practice, the breath should be smooth and continuous. In yogic circles, this is known as ‘the complete breath’.

By breathing properly, you will use more of your brain power, and you will also immediately take yourself out of the ‘stress response’ which is damaging to your cells over time.

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Many dis-eases of mind and body will clear up simply through the right use of breath over time. The adoption of bad posture and breathing habits has done more to create ill-health in the body and mind than anything else, yet it goes largely ignored. A return to correct breathing habits is vital to help our world return to a state of good mental health and physical wholeness.

A word of caution for beginners:

Practice slowly and build up.

Start with 10 to 20 breaths during any one session. Do this for 30 days to notice results.

Practise on an empty stomach, such as before breakfast.

The daily practice of deep breathing will most likely release a lot of ‘stuck energy’ in the body, and will most likely lead to physical, emotional and mental detoxification. You may, depending on your energy construct, experience temporary healing side-effects such as nausea and/or headaches; this is a natural part of the energy system ‘throwing off’ unwanted blockages. Drink plenty of water!

Once you have mastered the complete breath, the next stage of this is to link the breath to the rhythm of your own heart beat by taking your own pulse. This is called ‘rhythmic breathing’ and has powerful effects on the brain and nervous system. To begin, try breathing in for 4 beats, holding the breath for 4, and exhaling for 4… then begin again. You can then begin to increase this count over time.