Stress Less with the Three Part Breathing Technique

THREE PART YOGA BREATHING TECHNIQUE

One of the keys to staying STRESS FREE is conscious BREATHING. Being aware of your breath is key to shifting the perspective from a stressful on to a state of calmness. This exercise is one of the most basic yet most powerful techniques that can stop STRESS dead in its tracks.

It is often done while seated in a comfortable, cross-legged position, but it is also nice to do while lying on the back, particularly if you are new to this technique. When you are lying down, you can really feel the breath moving through your body.

PART 1

•  Come to lie down on the back with the eyes closed, relaxing the face and the body.
• Begin by observing the natural inhalation and exhalation of your breath without changing anything. If you find yourself distracted by the activity in your mind, try not to engage in the thoughts. Just notice them and then let them drift by like clouds in the sky. 
• Then begin to inhale deeply through the nose.
• On each inhale, fill the belly up with your breath. Expand the belly with air like a balloon.
• On the exhale, expel all the air out from the belly through your nose. Draw the naval back towards your spine to make sure that the belly is empty of air.
• Repeat this deep belly breathing for about five breaths.

PART 2

• On the next inhale, fill the belly up with air as described above. Then send the breath to the rib cage allowing the ribs to widen apart.
• On the exhale, let the air go first from the rib cage, letting the ribs slide closer together, and them from the belly, drawing the naval back towards the spine.
• Repeat this deep breathing into the belly and rib cage for about five breaths.

PART 3

• On these next inhales, fill the belly and rib cage up with air as described above. Then ribcage, and on up to the upper chest, the heart center, opening space for the heart.
• On the exhale, let the breath go first from the upper chest, allowing the heart center sink back down, then from the rib cage, letting the ribs slide closer together. Finally, let the air go from the belly, drawing the navel back towards the spine.
• Continue at your own pace, eventually coming to let the three parts of the breath happen smoothly without pausing.

• Rinse and repeat for about 10 breaths.

Note, keep the spine tall and long. Keep shoulders down, avoiding them to lift with the breath. 

LET US KNOW

Now share your experience with this cool technique below in the comments section. The conversation continues on the blog.