Three-Part Breathing Practice For Deep Relaxation

This three-part breathing practice will train you to use your full lung capacity and guide you gently into a more calm and relaxed state. It can be practiced seated upright in a chair, on your meditation cushion, or lying down on your back.

Transcript

Welcome to your three-part breath. This simple yet highly effective practice is a powerful way to slow down and ground your energy, Inviting a sense of calmness and ease. Our breath can tell us a lot about the state of our nervous system. When the breath is shallow, Rapid, And restricted to the upper region of the chest, We're in a stress response, Which can have a ripple effect across our body systems, As well as our mental and emotional state. But simply by directing the energy of breath deeper into the lower abdomen, You can begin to shift yourself into a more relaxed state using breath alone. So in this practice, We're going to be working towards a three-part breath, Which will allow you to utilize the full capacity of your lungs. The three parts we'll be working with are your lower abdomen, Midsection, And chest. Please keep in mind that as you do this practice, You may find it difficult at first, And that's completely normal. This may be because you're a regular chest breather, Or like so many of us, Maybe you've trained your lower belly to remain tight and pulled in, So it feels unnatural to allow it to soften and receive the breath more fully. Up above all, Treat yourself with compassion as we move through these practices, And just allow the process to unfold gradually with time and consistent effort. All right, Let's begin. Bring yourself into a seated upright position, Either sitting cross-legged on your meditation cushion or on a chair. Allow your focus to be finding length and freedom in your spine so your breath can flow more freely. As you settle in, Bring your awareness to the base of your spine and feel your pelvic bowl ground down towards the earth. From that grounded place, Start to grow and lengthen your spine as you sit up nice and tall. Become aware of the natural curvature of your spine. Spread open across your spine. Spread open across your collarbones, And allow your shoulders to soften down your back. Let the crown of your head lift up towards the sky, And just release any tension you might be holding in the jaw or the muscles of the face. Seal your lips and begin to notice the natural flow of breath in and out through your nose. Without changing or manipulating the breath, Just notice. Where does your breath expand first? Your chest, Ribs, Or does it flow all the way into the belly? Inhale, Feel your body expand with breath. Exhale, Release, Softening any tension, Letting go. And now rest your hands, One on top of the other, On the lower abdomen just below your navel. Allow your belly to soften. Give it permission to expand fully. As you inhale, Visualize your breath flowing all the way into your belly. As you inhale, Visualize your breath flowing all the way into the lower belly, Filling up. As you exhale, Release, Drawing navel into spine, Emptying completely. Continue this deep belly breath, Inhaling, Filling up, Exhaling, Letting go. Try to concentrate the flow of breath just in that lower region of the belly for now. Imagine it could descend all the way into your pelvic bowl, Even allowing the breath to create a feeling of spaciousness in the lower back. Take a few more rounds just like this, Concentrating the breath in the lower belly. Next, Shift your hands up to rest on the sides of your ribs as we direct the energy of breath only to the midsection. Let the back of your palms point backwards and all five fingers point forward, Wrapping around the side ribs. As you inhale, Feel your ribs expand out to the side. Let your breath reach for the outer edges of the rib cage. And exhale, Use your hands to gently guide the breath out as your ribs draw back in. Continue this breathing pattern on your own for the next few rounds. Inhale, Ribs expand, Filling up into the midsection. Exhale, Release. Emptying completely. And completing a final round, Inhale, Filling up into the barrel of the rib cage. And exhale, Emptying. The third and final section is breathing into your heart space. But rather than isolating into a chest or a belly, We're going to build each of these sections one on top of the other, Working towards a slow, Fluid breath. So place your left hand on your lower abdomen and your right hand on your heart. And take a moment just to relax back into your natural breath. For our three-part breath, We'll be inhaling first into the lower belly, And then the ribs, Then all the way into the chest, Allowing the exhale to flow out completely naturally. Before we begin, Exhale your breath, Emptying completely. Inhale, Fill up lower belly, Ribs, Chest, And ribs. Inhale, Fill up lower belly, Ribs, Chest. Exhale, Release. Allow the lungs to deflate. And I'll give you the space to practice this three-part breath now on your own. Inhale, Lower belly, Midsection, Heart fills with breath. Exhale, Breath flows out, Dissolving into the empty space. Keep this practice going, Working towards one continuous flow of breath. Allow this next round that you're on to be your last round of the three-part breath. And once you've exhaled and emptied completely, Simply return to a natural rhythm. Allow your hands to relax down wherever it feels natural. Begin to observe any shifts that may have occurred internally, Simply from giving yourself the space to receive the fullness of your breath. Know that in any moment when you feel anxious, Stressed, Or constricted, This breath can be your anchor to ground you and begin to shift you back into a more calm and relaxed place. Take your time to transition slowly as you draw your palms together at heart center, Sealing in your practice. Take a deep inhale breath. And on the exhale, Let your forehead bow to your fingertips. As you lift your head, Slowly open your eyes as you feel ready. Thank you for joining me for this practice. I hope you have a beautiful rest of your day.