Breathe!

Breathe.

If you feel overwhelmed, breathe. It will calm you and release the tensions.

If you are worried about something coming up, or caught up in something that already happened, breathe. It will bring you back to the present.

If you are moving too fast, breathe. It will remind you to slow down, and enjoy life more.

Breathe, and enjoy each moment of this life. They’re too fleeting and few to waste.

-Leo Babauta

             In the modern world of multi-tasking, the reality is we even forgot how to breathe…I am not kidding…What? you don't believe it …so let us put a test for you. Wear your jogging shoes & perform a running routine that will get you huffing a bit. At this point, Stop & get seated. Place one hand on the abdomen and one on the Chest and then watch. 

           In an ideal breathing,the lower hand should move out with each breath,while your upper hand should remain relatively still.This is called “Belly Breathing”.For most of us the opposite occurs,which is Chest-breathing.

           In Belly-breathing, every time we breathe in the belly should expand like a balloon,and every time we breathe out, the breathe should deflate out. It requires conscious effort to make Belly-breathing the default mode of breathing.

Breathe-in patterns:

This works while you are walking or running. Breathe-in…Step left and then the Right….breathe out. Practice this 2-2 pattern & you can advace to 3-3 (Breathe in : Step Left,Right & Left…Breathe Out)

Practice “Pranayama”:

Be seated (Not on a Couch though!).

Close your eyes and focus on the breathing..(This is important!)

Hold your right thumb in “Thumbs-up” position and press it against the right nostril to block it. Inhale slowly through the left nostril (be conscious of your breathe) allowing the lungs to expand and forcing the abdomen out. Then feel your chest expand with your collar bones rising last.

Remove your thumb from your right nostril. Keep your right hand by your nose and your lungs full of air. Use your ring and middle finger to close your left nostril

Exhale slowly and completely with the right nostril. Feel the collar bones dropping, chest deflating, and abdomen shrinking as the lungs collapse. When you’ve finished exhaling, keep your left nostril closed.

Inhale through the right nostril. Fill your lungs.

Close the right nostril and open the left.

Continue this exercise for at least 5 minutes

Oxygen is the elixir of Life. We need to make more use of it through effective breathing. This time around, I am not going to talk about the benefit of Belly breathing. I am going to let you try it and tell me what you felt after Belly breathing!...Come on...let us deplete O2  from this  world