Calming breath or yogic breathing.
This beautiful simple practice is simply a matter of training the body into deep diaphragmatic breaths.
So assume your meditation position.
It can be practiced seated upright with an upright spine,
A supported base,
Or it can be practiced lying down.
If you're practicing this in your bed,
You can use your pillow under the head.
However,
The shift in the nervous system and in the state of being is much more pronounced when you don't use the pillow and you seek an alignment between the back of the head and the spinal column.
Take a moment to settle.
Now placing your right hand on your belly over the navel and your left hand on the chest over the sternum.
And take a moment to notice the character of your natural breathing before you engage in the practice.
What is the state of your natural breath?
What story is it telling you?
Is it shallow or deep,
Smooth or jagged,
Noisy or silent?
However,
The state of your natural breath,
Just take a moment to lean into it and to understand its characteristics before the practice.
And this will be your benchmark at the end.
Breathing through the nose on both the inhalation and the exhalation.
And now our practice of calming breath will begin.
Take a long breath down the length of your body,
Raising the hand at the belly first and then the chest.
Exhaling,
Dropping the chest hand and then the belly hand.
Inhaling,
Raising the belly hand then the chest hand.
Exhaling,
Drop the chest hand then the belly hand.
Inhaling,
Raise the belly hand then the chest hand.
Exhaling,
Drop the chest hand then the belly hand.
Inhaling,
Raise the belly hand then the chest hand.
Exhaling,
Drop the chest hand then the belly hand.
Inhaling,
Raise the belly hand then the chest hand.
Exhaling,
Drop the chest hand then the belly hand.
Inhaling,
Raise the belly hand then the chest hand.
Exhaling,
Drop the chest hand then the belly hand.
Inhaling,
Raise the belly hand then the chest hand.
Exhaling,
Drop the chest hand then the belly hand.
Inhaling,
Raise the belly hand then the chest hand.
Exhaling,
Drop the chest hand then the belly hand.
Inhaling,
Raise the belly hand then the chest hand.
And exhaling,
Drop the chest hand then the belly hand.
Now allow your natural breath to reestablish.
You can keep the hands in position if you choose.
And compare the nature of your natural breath to how it was before you started the practice.
Notice the shifts.
Has it become smoother,
More silent?
The inhalation deeper,
More nourishing?
The exhalation more complete?
Now in your own timing allow the meditation music to carry you further into the practice of calming breath if you choose.
Now in your own timing allow the meditation music to carry you further into the practice of calming breath if you choose.
You
