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Yogic Breath Training

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Yogic Breath Training
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Meditating Buddha Yogic breath is a meditative type of breathing that is often good to use at the beginning of your daily meditative practice. However, it can also be practiced periodically throughout the day.

Although this method is not for immediate anxiety relief, the daily practice of it can help prevent or reduce overall levels of anxiety.

Initially, when you begin this practice you may not be able to do it as slowly as it is described. Start with a count that is comfortable for you and eventually you will be able to gradually slow down your breath. The transcript for the audio is below so that you can practice this method in the way that works best for you.



TRANSCRIPT

Transcript: Yogic Breath Training
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In a moment, I will describe a yogic style of breathing to help enhance the meditative state. Although this breathing is not meant to reduce immediate anxiety, when practiced on a regular basis, it can help diminish stress and tension. I will describe this at a fairly slow pace. Eventually, as you practice this breathing, you will be able to reduce your breaths per minute to a little less than two. However, you may find initially that you need to do it more quickly because you are not used to such slow breathing. That is okay. Over time, as you practice, you can slow your breathing a bit more until you are able to reduce your breaths to 1 or 2 a minute.

Sit in a cross-legged position on a mat or cushion with your hands resting comfortably on your knees. You may sit in a different position for comfort or due to physical limitations. But it is important to sit in an upright position.

First, take a normal breath and slowly exhale. Continue to breathe with slow but comfortable breaths. We will focus first on the movements of this breathing exercise. Then we will focus on the breath itself and then we will combine the two together and practice the full method for five breaths.

As you continue to breathe comfortably, use your abdominal muscles to push your stomach out as far as possible. This will help the air come into your lower lungs as you breathe. Now practice pulling in your abdominal muscles and pushing out first your lower chest and then your upper chest. Finally, raise your shoulders towards your ears while keeping your hands on your knees. It is normal to feel some tension in your shoulders and neck. Now, slowly lower your shoulders and relax your chest muscles and then your stomach muscles.

We will repeat again to practice the flow of that movement. Use your abdominal muscles to push your stomach out as far as possible. Now practice pulling in your abdominal muscles and pushing out first your lower chest and then your upper chest. Raise your shoulders towards your ears while keeping your hands on your knees. Now, slowly lower your shoulders and relax your chest muscles first and then your stomach muscles. Again, push your stomach out, now pull in your stomach while pushing out your chest, and then, raise your shoulders. Now, slowly lower your shoulders and relax your chest muscles first and then your stomach muscles.

Now let's practice the breathing. Each breath will be counted for a 15 second inhalation, a 10 second hold, and a 15 second exhalation. This is likely to be too long at first for novices so start with a lower count such as a 5 second inhalation, a two second hold, and a 5 second exhalation.

First, exhale completely through your nose so that all the air is out of your lungs. If you can't breathe through your nose, you may breathe through your mouth but it is best to do this breath through your nose, if possible. Now inhale slowly: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Hold it: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Now exhale slowly: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Again, inhale: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Hold it: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Now exhale: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

Okay, let's combine the movement with the breathing. I will describe the movement and then you will practice it. You will push out your abdomen as you inhale to the count of five, then pull in your abdomen and push out your chest to the count of five, then raise your shoulders as you continue to inhale to the count of five. Hold that position for the count of ten, and then reverse the movement with your exhalation. As you exhale to the count of five, slowly lower your shoulders, then relax your chest muscles as you continue to exhale to the count of five, and finally relax your stomach muscles as you continue to exhale to the count of five. Let's begin. We will do this five times. If you find yourself getting light-headed, stop and breathe normally. My counting will be slightly faster than 1 second counts as the time includes the instructions I am giving. When you are doing this yourself, you can count at a pace that is comfortable for you.

First, exhale completely through your nose. Now, begin to inhale. Push out your abdomen: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Pull in your abdomen and push out your chest: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Raise your shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Hold it: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Begin to exhale. Lower your shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax your chest: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax your abdomen: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Inhale, push abdomen out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Pull stomach in, push chest out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Raise shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Hold: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Exhale. Lower shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax chest: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax abdomen: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Inhale, push abdomen out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Pull stomach in, push chest out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Raise shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Hold: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Exhale. Lower shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax chest: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax abdomen: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Inhale, push abdomen out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Pull stomach in, push chest out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Raise shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Hold: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Exhale. Lower shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax chest: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax abdomen: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Inhale, push abdomen out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Pull stomach in, push chest out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Raise shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Hold: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Exhale. Lower shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax chest: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relax abdomen: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Now, just breathe comfortably and normally.

Once you have an understanding of how to do this breathing, you no longer need to listen to the audio but you can continue to practice on your own. Practice this breathing for 5 to 10 breaths a few times a day. You can also use it as the beginning step to your meditative practice.

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