The Ugly Duckling

Our breathing changes according to our emotions. Most of us do not breathe completely. When a person is angry or upset, the breath is shallow and increases. A calm person takes slower breaths and therefore deeper. Shallow breaths leaves stagnant air in the lower regions of your lungs which causes ill health.

Below is a list of breathing techniques for health and healing.

The Complete Breath

Effect: Increases your lung capacity, helps to cleanse your blood and expand your chest cavity.
Position: You can stand, sit or lie on your back.

Inhale and fill the lower part of your lungs (expand your abdomen gently).
Continue inhaling and fill the upper portion of your lungs by expanding the upper part of your chest.
Fill the uppermost part of your lungs, slightly draw in your lower abdomen.
At the end of your inahlation, occationaly raise your shoulders to permit the air to enter the upper lobes of your lungs.
Retain your breath for as long you comfortably can.
Exhale slowly and contract your abdomen slightly.

The Cleansing Breath
Effect: Beneficial before a meal and when you feel fatigued.
Exhale as deeply and as vigorously as possible.
Take a deep breath.
Exhale immediately through the nose as you contract your abdomen.
Repeat 5x. Resume normal breath.

Alternate Nostril Breathing
Effect: Helps to calm you down, good for imsomnia.
Position your ring finger on your left nostril, middle and pointer finger folded on your nose, thumb on right nostril.
Close your right nostril with your thumb. Inhale deeply on left nostril to the count of 5. Retain the air for a count of 5 while closing both nostrils.
Close your left nostril with your ring finger and exhale through the right nostril until all air is expelled (to the count of 8).
Keep your left nostril close and inhale again through the right nostril to the count of 5. Retain your breath to the same count and close both nostrils.
Close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril.

Repeat slowly 5x.
Long exhalations will have a calming effect.

The Ha Breath
Effect: This breath is revitalizing and recharges your body.

Stand with your legs aprt.
Inhale deeply, raing your arms up from each side until they are stretched above your head.
Throw the upper half of your body forward, bending from the waist, at the same time letting your arms fall forward and expelling the breath with a strong blast, making the sound HA.
Let your body hang loosely from the waist, arms swinging, head hanging as you repeat the ha sound several times.
Stand up slowly and repeat 2x.

The Waterfall Breath
Effect: Deep relaxation.
Inhale deeply and with slight parted lips. As you inhale create a hissing kind of sound.
Retain your breath to a count of 6.
Exhale to a count of 6 with slightly parted lips.
Repeat as you wish.

The Bellows Breath

Effect: Energizing and blood cleansing.

Sit with a straight back.
Inhale fully.
Exhale forcefully through the nose at the same time contract the abdomen and expel air with a powerful push from the diaphram and thrust from the throat.
When you release the contraction, your lungs will automatically take in air.
Gradually build up to ten rapid expulsions, after your last one, inhale deeply to fill your lungs with air, exhale slowly, and relax.

Source: A woman's book of yoga. A journal for health and self discovery by Louise Taylor.