Deep Breathing Exercises

Alternate-Nostril Breathing 4-7-8 Breathing

• It’s best to practice this form of breathing in a • Start in a seated position with your back
seated position. straight. Once you’ve mastered this form of
Steps: breathing, you may lay down.
• Relax your left palm comfortably in your lap and Steps:
bring your right hand just in front of your face. • Place and keep the tip of your tongue
• With you right hand, bring your pointer and against the ridge of tissue behind your
middle finger to rest between your eyebrows, upper front teeth for the duration of the
lightly using them as an anchor. The fingers you’ll exercise.
be actively using are the thumb and ring finger. • Completely exhale through your mouth,
• Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and making a whoosh sound.
out through your nose. • Close your mouth and inhale quietly
• Close your right nostril with your right thumb. through your nose to a mental count of
Inhale through the left nostril slowly and steadily. four.
• Close the left nostril with your ring finger so • Hold your breath for a count of seven.
both nostrils are held closed; retain your breath • Exhale completely through your mouth,
at the top of the inhale for a brief pause. making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
• Open your right nostril and release the breath
slowly through the right side; pause briefly at the Belly Breathing
bottom of the exhale.
• Inhale through the right side slowly. • Try sitting in a chair, sitting cross-legged,
• Hold both nostrils closed (with ring finger and or lying on your back with your head and
thumb). knees supported
• Open your left nostril and release breath slowly Steps:
through the left side. Pause briefly at the bottom. • Place one hand on your upper chest and
• Repeat five to 10 cycles, allowing your mind to the other hand on your belly, below the
follow your inhales and exhales. ribcage.
• Allow your belly to relax, without forcing
Mindful Mantra Breathing it inward by squeezing or clenching your
muscles.
• This involves focusing on your breathing and the • Breathe in slowly through your nose.
present without allowing your mind to drift to the The air should move into your nose and
past or future. downward so that you feel your stomach
Steps: rise with your other hand and fall inward
• Choose a mantra or sound to repeat as you inhale (toward your spine).
or as you exhale. • Exhale slowly through slightly pursed
• Focus on vocalizing this mantra/sound as you lips. Take note of the hand on your chest,
breathe. which should remain relatively still.
• Let go and relax. If your mind drifts, take a deep • Cycle through this as many times as
breath and return your attention to your mantra. needed. Beginners may start with three
• Do this for as long as you like. cycles and gradually increase this number.
 Visualization-Phrase Breathing
Steps:
• Close your eyes if they’re open.
• Take a few big deep breaths.
• Breathe in. As you do that, imagine that the air is filled with a sense of peace and calm. Try to feel it
through your body.
• Breath out. While you’re exhaling, imagine the air leaves with your stress and tension.
• Now use a word or phase with your breath. As your breath in, say in your mind, “I breathe in peace
and calm.”
• As you breathe out, say in your mind, “I breathe out stress and tension.”
• Continue for as long as you like.

Breath Counting Modified Lion’s Breath

Steps: Steps:
• In a seated position, keep your spine • Sit comfortably.
straight and head inclined slightly • Inhale, filling your nose, lungs, and belly
forward. Close your eyes and take a few with air until you can’t anymore.
deep breaths, then let your breath come • As you exhale, rather than breathing out
naturally. through your nose, open your mouth
• To begin the exercise, count “one” to wide and breathe out with a “HA”
yourself as you exhale. sound.
• The next time you exhale, count “two,” • Repeat as many times as needed.
and so on up to “five.”
• Then begin a new cycle, counting “one” on
the next exhalation. Morning Breathing
• Never count higher than “five,” and count
only when you exhale. You will know your • Try this exercise when you first get up in
attention has wandered when you find the morning to relieve muscle stiffness and
yourself up to “eight,” “12,” even “19.” clear clogged breathing passages. Then use it
• Try to do 10 minutes of this form of throughout the day to relieve back tension.
meditation. Steps:
• From a standing position, bend forward from
the waist with your knees slightly bent, letting
Four-Square or Box Breathing your arms dangle close to the floor.
• As you inhale slowly and deeply, return to a
Steps: standing position by rolling up slowing, lifting
• Exhale to a count of four. your head last.
• Hold your lungs empty for a four count. • Hold your breath for just a few seconds in this
• Inhale to a count of four. standing position.
• Hold air in your lungs for a count of • Exhale slowly as you return to the original
four. position, bending forward from the waist.
• Exhale and begin the pattern anew. • Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.