Yoga from the Heart

Learning to Breath for Better Focus & Improved Performance

Breathing affects every system in your body (cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine, lymph, immune, digestive, and of course, respiratory). The way you breathe has a lot to do with your quality of life.

Breathing properly can decrease stress and muscle tension, calm your nerves, sharpen your focus, minimize negative and distracting thoughts, reduce fatigue, and promote stamina. Unfortunately, proper breathing is often an overlooked component of daily living.

If you watch a baby breathe, you will see the infant’s belly rise and fall with each breath. Unfortunately, most of us long ago stopped breathing the way we did when we were babies. Our cultural upbringing (“suck in that gut”) and the development of bad habits (like slouching) have resulted in shallow (or chest) breathing.

Compared to diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing, chest-breathing results in increased heart and breathing rates. Shallow breathing can make your neck and shoulder muscles tense and activate your body’s stress response.

The good news is that with a little training, you can learn – or relearn – a simple way of breathing that can transform your health.

To practice diaphragmatic breathing:

1. Sit upright in a chair or lie down on the floor with your knees bent. Close your eyes and visualize your shoulders melting away from your ears.
2. Place the hand that you write with beneath your navel and the other hand just above your navel.

1. Breathe in deeply through your nose into the hand just below the navel. Allow this area to fill like a balloon. Next, feel the rib cage, where your other hand is, expand as the middle portion of the lungs are filled. Finally, fill the upper third of the lungs.
2. Exhale slowly, contracting your belly as you breathe out.
3. Keep the focus on breathing – “being with” each inhalation for its full duration and with each exhalation for its full duration.
4. Repeat for five to 10 minutes and then go about your daily activities. Slow, rhythmic diaphragmatic breathing gives you a feeling of relaxed energy.

During times of stress, notice your shoulders, neck, and jaw. Try to relax these areas and visualize your breath flowing into and out of the deepest part of your lungs.

Anytime you would like to reduce tension and stress and enter into a calmer state of mind and body, shift into slow, abdominal breathing for a minute or two. You’ll feel the results almost immediately.

Namaste,

The Sun Salutation (Surya Namaska) is a traditional sequence that links balancing, forward bending, back bending and centering poses together through movement and breath. Surya Namaskar are traditionally performed in the morning to greet the new day. The sequence of postures can be a complete practice in itself or can prepare you for a longer asana routine.

 

 1. Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Distribute your weight evenly over both feet. Breathe slowly. Find your center.

 

2. From grounded legs, inhale and raise your arms out to the side and up until they are parallel to your ears in Urdhva Hastasana (Volcano Pose). Keep your legs strong and your head between your arms, as you gently arch backward.

 

3. Exhale, hollow your belly, and dive toward the floor into Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend). If your lower back is tight, bend your knees. Lower your arms and place your hands on blocks, on your thighs, or if you are flexible enough, place your fingertips on the floor shoulder width apart and in line with your feet. Keep your legs firmly engaged. Keep the weight of your body evenly distributed between the front, back, and sides of your feet.

 

4. Exhale, bend your legs and step  the left leg back into a  lunge. If reaching the floor is difficult or if your back leg does not extend easily, place your hands on blocks.

 

5. Step the right leg back to meet the left in Plank Pose. Your wrists should be flat on the floor, shoulder-distance apart and your feet should be hip distance apart. Take a full breath in as you lengthen through your spine.

 

6. Exhale, lower your knees to the ground, followed by your chest, keeping only your hips elevated. (Take care to place your chest directly between your hands so that the hips can be lowered into the proper position without shifting other parts of your body). Keep your elbows close to your body. Next, lower your hips and stretch your feet back so that your body is resting flat on the ground.

 

7. Inhale and draw your legs and feet together, toes pointing back in Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose). Raise the chest as you roll your shoulders down your back. Gaze upward but do not force. Instead, adjust your spine until it feels even and balanced. As you extend your legs strongly away from your hips, slide your pelvis forward into your lifting chest.

 

 

8. Exhale and without interrupting the flow of movemen, lift your hips and bring your body into a pike position then straighten your legs into Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward- Facing Dog). Shift your weight from the toes to the heels as you try to press the heels toward the floor. Feel the stretch in the back of your legs. Relax your neck.

9. Inhale and step the right leg under the torso placing the foot between the hands in a lunge.

 

10. Exhale and bring the left food up to meet the right as you straighten your legs back to Uttanasana. Bend your knees as necessary to protect your lower back. Check to see that the weight of your body is evenly distributed between the front, back and sides of your feet. Allow your head, neck and shoulders to relax forward, your knees, surrendering into the fold.

 

11. Finally, reaching your arms out wide to your sides,  inhale and slowly raise your torso. Upon reaching an upright position, bend back gently without straining, remembering to keep your arms in line with your ears and your legs straight and come to Urdhva Hastasana.

 

12. Exhale and slowly lower your arms returning to Tadasana. Remain here for a few breaths feeling the movement of energy through your body.

 

 

Repeat the sequence, this time stepping back with the right foot instead of the left in position 4, and continue to alternate with each repetition.

Namaste,