Breathing techniques are an integral part of many therapeutic practices. Conscious breathing has a therapeutic effect on the whole body and can be a tool for spiritual growth, self-help and psychotherapy as well as healing from injury. The techniques might vary depending on the tradition they arise within (from yoga to Pilates, rebirthing to meditation) but they all have a common thread: they aim to align the body’s physical, mental and spiritual health through the breath.
Breathwork is both ancient and modern, and is a simple, safe and gentle means to access both inner and outer health in body, mind and spirit.
Meditation and conscious breathing
Breathing is the basis of most meditation techniques and is practised through bringing one’s awareness to the sensations of breathing in and breathing out. Feeling the breath entering and leaving the body brings you back “into your body”. It creates a feeling of relaxation and can offer relief from anxiety as well as stress relief.
Most meditative breathing techniques are based on traditions of yoga and pranayama, which is essentially feeling the physical sensation of air moving in and out of the nostrils. This focused attention allows the mind to let go of everything but the act of breathing, which in turn brings you into contact with the present moment.
Breathwork techniques
There are several techniques common to the many and varied traditions of breathwork.
Counting
Counting the breaths focuses the mind, calms the body and induces a feeling of relaxation. Focus on the breath in your belly, chest or nose. Calmly listen to and feel your breathing for a moment. When you are conscious of your breathing pattern, mentally count each in-breath and noticing how this pattern gradually slows as you relax.
Following
When your mind is calm and able to focus effectively on the breath, you may practise following the breath as it travels through your body. Simply allow your mind to drift with the breath through your body. Follow the progress of the in-breath, notice the space or pause at the end of each in-breath and follow the progress of the out-breath.
Centring
Centring is the deep grounding or calming space we go to in mind and body when we practise breathwork. When mindfulness of the breath is established, your breathing becomes more and more subtle — each breath becomes light, slow and tranquil and the body becomes calm.
Observing
Observing the breath happens when you enter a space of deep insight meditation. Commonly seen as a goal of meditation, the practice of observing involves simply being conscious of the breath through any of the above techniques.
Breathwork traditions
Yoga
Pranayama are the breathing exercises of yoga. The ancient author Patanjali, the “Father of yoga”, defined pranayama as “the regulation of the incoming and outgoing flow of breath with retention”. Pranayama is generally only practised after attaining a yoga asana (pose) with perfection, focus and contemplation. Pranayama is known as the life force that sustains living things. In yoga, pranayama breathwork is therefore a conduit activity. It works to connect you to the self-energising force that is the principle of life and consciousness. It is ultimately healing, in every dimension of an individual’s physical and personal life.
Conscious breathing
Conscious breathing is a practice that enables our conscious and subconscious minds to work together as one while healing the body physiologically through attentive breathing.
Conscious breath meditation allows you to become aware of your breathing without controlling it; integrating conscious mind and subconscious mind. Simply be aware of the breath, but allow it to happen effortlessly.
