Welcome dear one for today's pranayama practice.
Diaphragmatic breathing also called belly breathing.
Diaphragmatic breathing has numerous benefits.
It calms your body and mind.
It relieves stress in your body.
It improves circulation and improves digestion.
Diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system,
Drawing you out of stressful mind patterns and grounding you in the softness of your belly.
Diaphragmatic breathing is a beautiful technique.
If you find yourself agitated after a long day,
If you feel restlessness in your body,
If you are unable to fall asleep,
This technique is your go to pranayama.
This technique is also suggested as the best natural breathing rhythm to maintain a calm and steady mind.
Now lets begin this practice in a comfortable seated posture,
Even lying down on the floor or on your mat.
Allow your eyes to close and feel your body completely relax.
Gently bring your awareness to your breath.
Breathe consciously.
Notice your inhalation and your exhalation.
Now gently place your dominant hand over your abdomen.
As you breathe,
Feel your natural breath moving into your hand.
Just avoid pulling the belly in or pushing it out.
Continue this awareness for few breaths.
Breathe in,
Breathe out.
Feeling any clenching,
Gripping or holding in the muscles of your abdomen and pelvis.
As those muscles continue to relax,
Without any effort,
The breath may naturally pull down into your belly.
Continue to soften the belly for next 2 minutes.
If it is comfortable to keep your hand on your abdomen,
Just keep it.
Or you can release your hand to your knee or to the floor.
Now also relax the movement of your chest and ribcage,
Allowing the only movement of your body to be the soft expansion and release of your belly.
If your mind wanders,
The breath might creep back up into your chest.
When that happens,
Relax all effort and see the breath return to the abdomen.
Try to keep the breath soft in your belly for 5 minutes.
Skipped.
You you you you you you you When you feel complete in the practice Feel the sensations in your body and mind Now allow the eyes to gently open and stay present to the calming effect of this technique From my heart to yours Namaste