Hi,
My name is Asa.
Welcome to this diaphragmatic breathing practice.
Begin by coming to a comfortable seat or lying down on a couch or a bed.
If you haven't tried diaphragmatic breathing before,
It might help to practice it while lying down the first time,
So that you can focus on your breathing without having to think about your posture.
A pillow under your head and another one under your knees might help you feel more comfortable if you choose to lie down.
If you're practicing while sitting upright,
Reach your head up and align it over the center of your body.
Draw your shoulder blades towards each other and down your back,
Opening in your chest.
Relax your face and soften your jaw.
And now for our breathing practice.
Rest one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly.
Wherever you're at right now,
Go ahead and exhale.
Slowly breathe in through your nose and all the way down to your belly,
Feeling it expand like a balloon as you breathe in.
Slowly breathe out through your mouth as if you are breathing out through a straw and gently contract your stomach muscles as you exhale.
Exhale again,
Drawing the breath all the way down to your belly.
Exhale through pursed lips,
Slowly and smoothly,
Contracting your stomach muscles until all of the breath is released.
Continue breathing in this way at your own pace.
The hand on your chest should remain still while the hand on your belly will move as you breathe in and out.
This means that the diaphragm is doing most of the work of respiration and not the chest muscles.
Focus on the movement of your belly and try to move as little as possible in your chest and shoulders as you breathe.
For those that like to visualize,
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle at the base of the lungs.
When you breathe in,
It contracts and draws down towards your belly,
Pushing your belly out and creating a vacuum which pulls air into the lungs.
When you exhale,
It relaxes back up towards your lungs.
Continue diaphragmatic breathing at your own pace for a little while longer.
I'll be back when it's time to close out our practice.
When you're ready,
You can release the technique.
Relax your hands by your sides or on your lap and allow your body to breathe naturally.
Take a moment to notice how you're feeling.
While keeping your eyes closed,
Slowly begin to expand your awareness outward.
Become aware of the sounds in the space around you.
Take a deep breath in and on your exhale,
Gently sit back,
Take a stretch,
And blink open your eyes.
Thank you for practicing this diaphragmatic breathing exercise.
I wish you a wonderful rest of your day.
