Omni-Directional Breathing Practice | Part 1 (Recorded Live)

Omni-directional breathing is a technique that encourages awareness and expansion in all directions of the torso, not just the front of the body (where we usually feel breath most easily) but also the sides and back.

This practice supports the natural, three-dimensional movement of the diaphragm, allowing breath to move up, down, forward, back, and out to the sides. Like many breathing exercises, it can help in not only being a centre of focus and taking your attention away from the mind to the body, but also fosters a more balanced and embodied sense of breath.

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM VICKY!
⁣⁣
The way that we breathe, like the body, varies from person to person. Remember that your body is your responsibility, so if anything feels too strained, difficult, or simply ‘wrong’, then back off, go to a previous stage, or come out completely.
If something doesn’t feel right, it isn’t. Always listen to your body.⁣⁣

Transcript

Hi everybody,

This week in our class we were doing omnidirectional breathing and omnidirectional breathing is where you are feeling the breath in the front,

The sides and the back.

So naturally we tend to feel the breath at the front part of the body and a couple of major reasons for that is because some of the main apparatus,

Apparatus,

The main equipment for breathing can be found or at least felt at the front.

So for example the diaphragm which is found around here and then also the intercostal muscles in the ribs so we can feel that more at the front.

However of course our breathing system,

Our respiratory system is all through,

All through.

The lungs are very large,

The respiratory system is throughout the whole of this mid part of the body.

So we can actually feel it all around and this is a useful practice to do for a sense of wholeness rather than just bring their attention to the front.

So you can do this with a strap if you have it or actually you can use a scarf.

So you want to place this scarf around the area of the diaphragm.

So if you wear a bra,

The the line of the bra and then you want to place it,

You want to tie it so it's not super tight but it's snug.

So something like if you wore,

If you if you've worn a a wetsuit for example,

That kind of snugness.

It may take a little bit more effort to breathe,

It probably will,

That's fine,

Little bit constriction not a problem,

We want to feel it.

So just start,

Just center,

Relax,

Close your eyes if you want,

You don't need to look at me.

And just notice when you start breathing a slightly deeper breath,

Bringing your attention to the front part of the body where the belt or the scarf is.

As you breathe out,

Can you feel this area move more towards the belt?

And as you breathe out,

Can you feel it moving away?

Feeling the belt or the scarf pressing against the body,

Noticing the movement at the front of the body.

Now taking your attention to the sides where the belt or the scarf is held at the sides of the body.

Settle once more,

Close your eyes if you haven't already.

And can you feel the expansion and the contraction in the sides of the body as you're breathing?

Again,

Pressing gently against the scarf or the belt as you breathe in and moving away as you breathe out.

Just notice if it's difficult to feel.

Maybe you can't really feel it at all.

And if that's the case,

Just note that it may be much more difficult to notice in the sides of the body in particular.

Now take your attention to the back line of the body.

And once more as you feel the back grow larger and then grow smaller with the in-breath and the out-breath.

The pressure of that scarf against your back does it help you to bring your attention to the movement here with your breath?

And then let go of your attention and tie the scarf or loosen the scarf and then just close your eyes if they're not closed already.

Go back to your natural breath.

Maybe even keeping your attention in the area where the scarf was and seeing if that has assisted in any way with feeling the movement here in the area of the diaphragm in a general sense.

And when you're ready,

Open your eyes.