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YOGA
DISPLAY
BASIC BREATHING
TECHNIQUES |
Deep Breathing
Instructions:
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Sit on a flat
surface, with your back straight and your legs
either crossed or straightened
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Keep your chin
slightly down and shoulders away from your ears
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Relax your facial
muscles and close your eyes
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Rest your hands on
your knees, palms facing upwards, with your
index finger and thumb touching
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Inhale slowly, and
imagine the oxygen filling your body right down
to your abdomen, feeling the expansion in this
area. As you continue to inhale, notice your
belly moving inwards, as your ribcage expands
and your chest rises.
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Exhale evenly, with
an awareness of your chest gently falling. As
your ribcage contracts, slowly feel your abdomen
release into total relaxation.
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Mentally count your
breathing, and as you inhale and exhale, create
a gentle rhythm by maintaining the same length
for each breath.
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Enjoy this practice
between 2-10 minutes, as you continue to focus
on your breathing.
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Once completed, Inhale through
your nose and exhale through your mouth
as if you are blowing out a candle. Do this at
least 3 times, allowing the accumulated waste to
exit the lungs.
Cautions
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Stop practicing if
you feel tightness in your chest or dizziness!
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Heart conditions
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Pregnancy
Benefits
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Relaxes the nervous
system
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Calms the brain
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Relaxes the facial
muscles
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Enhances self
awareness
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Helps alleviate
insomnia
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Relaxes the mind
and body
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Improves
concentration and focus
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Helps asthma
sufferers
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Massages the
abdominal organs with the help of the diaphragm
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Gives the skin a
natural glow
Alternate
Nostril Breathing
Instructions
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Sit in a
comfortable crossed legged position with a
straight back, lower your chin slightly allowing
the back of the neck to be straight.
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Rest your left hand
on your knee, fingers gently curled, palm facing
upwards and your index finger touching your
thumb ( If you are left handed, use your left
hand and same rule applies)
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Raise your right
arm bringing your right palm towards your nose.
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Place your thumb
outside of your right nostril, middle and ring
finger outside of your left nostril, index
finger facing up between your eyebrows
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Exhale fully, close
your right nostril with your thumb, inhale fully
through the left nostril
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Close the left
nostril with your middle and ring finger, exhale
through the right nostril
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Inhale through your
right nostril, close the right nostril with your
thumb and exhale through the left
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This is one full
cycle
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Try to match the
length of your inhaling and exhaling
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Keep the breath
flowing evenly through the left and right
nostril
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Repeat between 5-10
full cycles, or as long as it feels comfortable
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Be conscious of
your posture while practicing, making sure your
back is straight at all times, and that your
shoulders and facial muscles are relaxed
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When you have
finished this practice, rest your right hand on
your right knee, and stay with your eyes closed
while enjoying the sensation of inner peace
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You may perform
this technique either before or after yoga
practice, or to reduce feelings of anxiety,
stress or tension.
Cautions
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Stop practicing if you feel
tightness in your chest or dizziness!
Benefits
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Relaxes the nervous
systems
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Clears the nasal
passages
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Develops self
awareness
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Helps insomnia
sufferers
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Ideal to practice
prior to bed time
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Can be beneficial
to promote calmness before school exams or
important interviews
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Calms and relaxes
the brain, heart and all internal organs of the
body
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Improves
concentration and focus by promoting clarity of
mind.
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