Breath Practice
From physical to conscious breath
When we observe the physical breath and through observation and attention it becomes more subtle something occurs that is of immeasurable benefit.
Try this:
Sit comfortably with an upright elongated spine. Allow the shoulder blades to lift inward to open the chest and relax the shoulders. Use props behind your spine if this is difficult or practice a few spine release postures first.
Once the body feels grounded, easeful and without tension.
Observe the breath!
Allow it at first to deepen into the belly. Feel its effect moving behind the navel and in the lower belly.
As your breath feels more deep seated and rhythmic pay attention to the following areas as you breathe pause with each step below for several breaths.
1. Become aware as you inhale of the point partially into the inhalation when you feel the touch breath at the rim of the nostrils. Observe this for several breaths. Conscious of the touch of the breath at the entrance of the nostrils.
2. Observe the touch of the breath within both nostrils. Observe and give full attention to the feeling of the breath within both nostrils. (If your nose feels blocked pause, clear the nose and then press both hands up into your armpits and breath for a few breath, this often frees up the blockage.)
Try again practicing step 1 & 2
3. Place your awareness now on the feeling of the breath in the throat. The sensation of the breath moving in this space will become palpable. Breathe with your awareness here for several breath cycles.
4. In the same way - Try to feel into the windpipe (the trachea) feel the touch of the breath in this deep area withing the throat and chest. At this point you may notice the breath becoming more refined and subtle.
5. At the base of the windpipe the breathing channel divides into two branches - the bronchial tubes. Try to deepen your attention into this space and feel the breath in these two tubes. Breathe here for a few breaths.
6. Now the breath branches out into the lung tissue through many tubes and into the air sacks where the air enters the blood and cleansing and oxygenation occurs. Simply feel the expansion and contraction of the lung tissue with each breath and your attention will aid this cleansing and enlivening process.
7. Now feel the action of the diaphragm beneath the lungs and heart aiding the inward and outward breaths. Be with this sensation for a few breaths.
8 Now for several deep quiet breath cycles observe the way in which the whole body responds to each breath. Allow yourself to be “breathed” as it were.
By now you might feel deeply relaxed and meditative.
As you release from the practice observe the quality of feeling in the body, and the feeling of subtle enlivened yet peaceful energy and mind.
This is a superb practice to awaken to the subtle breath – the non physical breath that enlivens us at every level. This takes you into direct relationship with the quality and presence of prana (subtle life force) that accompanies each breath.
It is a magnificent practice to reduce all forms of tension and stress in the body and mind. Try it before meditation, before sleep or whenever you feel fatigued or agitated.
Enjoy the benefits of traditional yoga.
