Breathwork involves consciously and intentionally changing your breathing to alter the
body’s physiological state and enter a different state of awareness. This is different from what some refer to as mindful meditation where you observe your breath without actively trying to change it. Learning to be intentional and mindful with how we control our breathing can lead to a state of relaxation and a calmer mind and body. As well as, allowing us the opportunity to make positive changes regarding how we feel and behave in our lives as these techniques improve physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
A few common breathwork techniques are:
● Diaphragmatic Breathing
● Box Breathing
● Pursed Lip Breathing
● Alternate Nostril Breathing
● Five Finger Breathing
● Lion’s Breath Breathing
Today we are going to focus on just a few simple breathwork techniques that you can incorporate into your own spiritual hygiene practices. The first is commonly known as “belly breathing” or "diaphragmatic breathing". Most people tend to rely on the weaker muscles around their rib cage when drawing in a breath, which results in shallow more frequent breaths, but we want to shift our focus to the area about four finger spaces below the belly button, in the lower dantian region. Focusing on drawing our breath from this area will promote the flow of Qi or "Chi" and it also centers awareness in the body. Qi is our vital life force energy, the force that makes up and binds together everything in the Universe. This breathwork technique utilizes the power of the
diaphragm to inflate your lungs with air while inhaling and pushes it all out when you exhale.
This way you are taking in more oxygen and releasing more carbon dioxide, which allows for
stimulated blood flow, improved mental clarity, and calms the nerves and emotions (like fear and
anxiety).
When you begin this technique:
Sit or lie comfortably
Inhale through your nose for a count of 3 seconds.
Exhale through your nose for a count of 3 seconds.
DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH IN BETWEEN THE INHALE AND THE EXHALE.
You want your breathing to be smooth and silent, not strained in any way. You want to focus on flowing from the inhale all the way through into the exhale without holding your breath. As you begin to master this technique at 3 seconds, your next step will be to increase to 5 seconds.
"Box Breathing" or the "4-4-4 box breathing" is another breathwork technique. It has been used as a way to redirect the mind and calm the nervous system. It helps clear the mind, relax the body, and improve focus.
When utilizing this technique:
Sit comfortably.
Exhale to a count of 4.
Hold your lungs empty for a count of 4
Then inhale at the same pace for a count of 4
Hold the air in your lungs for a count of 4 before exhaling and starting the breathing cycle again.
You want to repeat this breathing cycle 4 times in one sitting.
** If 4 seconds is too much when you first start out, you can decrease the time to 2 or 3
seconds.**
The "4-7-8 breathwork" method is another technique that has been used to help reduce anxiety and bring the body back to a state of calm.
When using this technique:
Sit or lie comfortably.
Inhale silently, through your nose, while counting to 4 in your mind.
Then hold for 7 seconds (again make sure you are counting in your head)
Exhaled fully from your mouth for 8 seconds.
For beginners, start with 4 cycles at a time and as you feel more comfortable and confident in
this breathwork technique you can increase to the full 8 cycles.
Although breathing is often considered an unconscious, involuntary, and automatic bodily function that we do with little thought, when we pair it with awareness and conscious action, breathwork has the ability to restore balance physically, mentally, and spiritually. Working in some form of daily breathwork is a great way to practice good spiritual hygiene through meditation, awareness, grounding, and many other forms of self-discipline. We challenge you to add one simple breathing exercise in the mornings and evenings of your day and see how much it changes your body within the first week.
**As always, we are not doctors or medical professionals and should you have any underlying or pre-existing health issues please consult with your care team before incorporating any new practices into your routine.**