Using the Breath to Self-energize

When we breathe in, we take in 'Prana /vital energy' from the air. Prana is not the air itself but the subtle life-giving element present in the air we breathe. This vital energy (Prana) is present in all living things. We absorb Prana through the food we eat, through the water we drink, through sunlight & all forms of nourishment. And it is most accessible to us in the air. The more the Prana within us, the more the vitality we experience.

Did you know that most of us use only a fraction of our potential lung capacity when breathing? Not using the diaphragm (the dome shaped muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen) properly, we end up breathing with only the top or middle of the lung.

You will find that people tend to breathe in 3 possible ways:

     a. Clavicular/ high breathing: This is the most shallow & worst possible type. The shoulders & collarbone are raised while the abdomen is contracted during inhalation. Maximum effort is made but minimum amount of air is obtained.

    b. Intercostal breathing: This is the 2nd incomplete breathing which is done with the rib muscles expanding the rib cage.

    c. Deep Abdominal breathing/ low breathing: This brings air into the lowest & largest part of the lungs and is a much better form of breathing as compared to the above two methods. Here, the breathing is deep & proper use is made of the diaphragm. The best way to learn this is from a new born baby. Watch how the baby breathes with its abdomen expanding as it breathes in & contracting as it breathes out.

      Let’s try & practice this ‘deep abdominal breathing’ as it is very essential for us to master this, before proceeding further:

Sit in a comfortable position & place your right hand on the abdomen & the left on the chest. Now as you inhale, notice your right hand go up while the left stays the same or moves very little.

If you are unable to get a feel of this, try repeating the exercise, this time lying on your back. Feel the right hand placed on the abdomen go up as you inhale & go down (contracting the abdomen) as you exhale.

Try to get a feeling of this motion. You can also try this by placing a pile of books on your abdomen & watch it rise as you inhale & fall as you exhale.

As you practice this deep abdominal breathing, become aware of your breath. Notice how slow & deep, it is. Make sure you learn this kind of breathing well before proceeding further.

Now that you have gotten a hang of what a deep abdominal breathing or Low breathing is, we are ready to learn the ‘Full Yogic Breath’ which combines all the 3 types of breathing & is by far the 'Best type' as it allows the lungs to be filled up completely with air allowing maximum absorption of Prana. 

To experience a ‘full yogic breath’:

Sit up and place one hand on the abdomen & the other above it on the rib cage. Breathe in slowly; expand the abdomen & then the rib cage, and finally the upper portion of the lungs. Then, breathe out in the same manner, letting the abdomen go in as you exhale & then the rib cage. So here, you are inhaling as much as possible & then exhaling all the way down to the extent possible.  

With the yogic full breath, every part of the lung is exercised increasing the lungs vital capacity, the quality of blood is improved due to its proper oxygenation in the lungs, the complexion gets better & so does general health. Practice taking a few complete breaths whenever possible during the day.

Breathing techniques for daily life

2: 1 breathing:

This breathing technique helps to slow down the heart rate, reduce blood pressure & produces a calming effect. To practice this:

Sit comfortably in an upright position; breathe in gently and steadily to the count of four. Pause a second & then breathe out to the count of eight. Next time, breathe in to the count of 5 & out to the count of 10.

You will notice here, that the time taken for exhalation is longer than that for inhalation. This long exhalation allows the heart rate to slow down aiding in relaxation.

Real breath control is controlling the way we exhale & not the way we inhale. Energy is best renewed by the slow expulsion of air from the lungs.

This sort of controlled breathing is what we call 'Pranayama' (Prana, meaning the vital energy & ayama, meaning to control).

By manipulating our breathing we can easily achieve that which we considered impossible.

Try this while climbing stairs or a steep hill:

As you climb the first two steps, keeping the shoulder blades in position, breathe in for 2 seconds. On the next two steps, breathe out for 2 seconds. With a rhythm of two in, two out, you can easily climb up a flight of stairs without gasping for breath.

By quickening the breath rhythmically as we climb, we expel a greater amount of carbon dioxide & take in a greater supply of oxygen.

You can follow the same technique while climbing up the hill.

Getting under a cold shower: 
 

When you step into a cold shower, the tendency is to gasp & tense the muscles. This only increases the torture. Instead, if you try breathing out in a steady breath, you will be amazed at how little the temperature of the water affects you. Exhaling helps the body to accommodate itself to change. 

For now, let’s make breathing a conscious practice thereby increasing our bodily awareness & not just inhale / exhale because we can’t help it. In my subsequent post, I will introduce you to the 'First Breathing Exercise' which we will do for at least 15 - 20 days for building a strong foundation in "Proper Breathing".

Till then continue to practice 'The Full Yogic Breath', as often as possible during the day.