The Art of Long Deep Breathing

Most people do not breath slowly and deeply. If your breath is irregular and shallow you can't help but feel tense and emotional. On average people use only one-tenth of their lung capacity. Long deep breathing will increase your oxygen intake and cleanse your lungs of toxic irritants that can cause infection and disease.

By practicing this technique you can expand your lung capacity eight-fold and gain endurance and patience. Breathing eight times a minute stimulates your pituitary gland to secrete, while slowing down to four breaths a minute stimulates the pineal gland optimally, making you deeply meditative. To learn the art of long deep breathing, find a quiet place to lie down and relax.

One

Close your eyes. Observe the natural rhythm of your breath. Do you chest and abdomen expand and contract? When you inhale, how deeply does your breath travel?

Two

Put your hand over your naval and inhale deeply through your nose only (your mouth remains closed but relaxed). Let your abdomen expand in all directions as if you were filling a balloon with air. If your abdominal muscles feel tight, consciously relax and let them move upward against your hand.

Three

With each deepening breath, relax your diaphragm and fill your chest, allowing your rib cage to expand in all directions.

Four

Briefly hold the breath in, and allow the air to lightly press against the lungs, gently expanding them. Consciously relax the muscles of your face, neck, and shoulders.

Five

Exhale slowly through your nose, controlling the release from the upper chest, then the ribcage and finally the abdomen. Press the naval point back toward the spine to completely exhale.

Six

Briefly hold the breath out and allow the lungs to contract. Then inhale again, fill the abdomen, then the rib cage and finally the upper chest. Exhale. Practice for 3 minutes and then observe your breath again; you should notice that it is deeper, slower and more rhythmic.

Seven

Once you have gotten the rhythm of breathing deeply, regulate your breath so you are breathing 8 times a minute or 7 1/2 seconds per inhale/exhale. Once you have mastered this, slow down further to 4 breaths a minute or 15 seconds per inhale/exhale.

With practice, you'll be able to slow your breath down at will during yoga or meditation or whenever you feel anxious, fearful or emotional.

Source: Divine Relationships: Two Bodies, One Soul by Nam Kaur Khalsa & Siri Atma Singh Khalsa, M.D.