Breathing Instructions

About breathing
To live and maintain a healthy body, we need not only food and water, but also air to breathe. The air we breathe is even more important than what we eat and drink.
Without food, we can survive for weeks. Without water, we can survive for days. But without breathing, we can live for only a few minutes. Our life begins and ends with a breath.

Breathing can be divided into three phases:
Inhalation
Exhalation
Breathing pause

One phase leads to the next. Exhalation should last approximately twice as long as inhalation. The pause in breathing occurs naturally at the end of the exhalation phase, and lasts until the start of inhalation arrives spontaneously. Inspiration is the active form of breathing. With it comes the contraction of the respiratory muscles. Exhalation is the passive part of breathing, the relaxation phase.

Breathing deeply, regularly and quietly is fundamental to our health. It has a harmonizing and calming effect on body and mind. On the other hand, breathing too quickly and superficially has a negative influence on us, as it can intensify nervousness, stress, tension and pain.

A common error in breathing is to draw in the abdomen when the chest swells, instead of relaxing the abdomen further. Pulling in the abdomen considerably distorts deep breathing. Often, the fashion for tight-fitting clothes inhibits this natural movement.

So all yoga exercises, including breathing exercises, should be practiced slowly and without tension - without ambition or competition. Breathing should be silent and nasal [2]. After a while and with practice, we gradually try to slow down and lengthen the breath. It's only with correct breathing that the full effects of yoga exercises become apparent.

It's very important that all these exercises are performed in a state of mental and physical relaxation. A state of physical relaxation is essential, as only then can the muscles be stretched in the respective asanas without generating tension. A state of mental relaxation is necessary so that the asanas can be practised with great concentration on relaxation and breathing.

Conscious exhalation makes a major contribution to muscle relaxation, since muscular relaxation is linked to exhalation.
Yoga shows us how the body and mind can be influenced by different breathing techniques. Unfortunately, our habitual breathing patterns have become far removed from natural, correct breathing. The practice of complete yogic breathing is a fundamental prerequisite for restoring healthy breathing.

Complete yogic breathing
To facilitate the learning of complete yogic breathing, we distinguish three types of breathing:

Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing
On inhalation, the diaphragm descends, compressing the abdominal organs so that the abdominal wall can expand. On exhalation, the diaphragm rises again, lowering the abdominal wall. Unlike inhalation, exhalation is a passive process.
Abdominal breathing is the basis of breathing, as it allows the full capacity of the lungs to be utilized, slows the breath naturally and promotes relaxation.

Chest breathing
On inhalation, the ribs rise so that the chest opens. On exhalation, the ribs return to their original position. Air enters the intermediate lobes of the lungs. The lungs are not as full as with abdominal breathing, and the breath is quicker and shallower.
This type of breathing comes into play automatically in stressful situations, due to nervousness or tension. The unconscious use of this faster form of breathing creates a more intense state of tension. To break this unfavorable cycle, slow, deep abdominal breathing is a great help.

Shoulder (clavicle) breathing
With this type of breathing, air reaches the top of the lungs. On inhalation, the upper chest and collarbones rise, and on exhalation, they lower again. The breath is very shallow and rapid.

This type of breathing occurs in situations of extreme stress and panic, or when breathing is very difficult.
In natural, healthy breathing, all three variations occur. They are united in a wave that flows from the bottom to the top of the lungs on inhalation, and from the top to the bottom on exhalation.

On inhalation, the abdomen expands and the chest opens. On exhalation, the chest and abdomen return to their original position. When we practice this type of breathing using the full capacity of the lungs naturally and without forcing, we are practicing complete yogic breathing.

Exercises for the three types of breathing
Starting position:
lying on back
Focus:
on the whole body and breathing
Duration:
2-3 minutes

Practice:
Lie on your back. Arms relaxed and placed alongside the body, palms facing up. Legs can be extended, or bent with the soles of the feet on the floor. Close your eyes and relax your body.

Variation A:
>Place your hands on your abdomen and observe the movement of your abdomen with each inhalation and exhalation. >Now place your hands on the ribs (fingers pointing towards the center of the chest) and observe whether and how far the ribs rise and contract under your hands. >Next, place your hands just below the clavicles and observe the movement of the chest in this area.

Variation B:
>Inhale and exhale several times quietly and a little more deeply than usual. Become aware of all the sensations associated with breathing. >Keep breathing like this and, keeping your arms straight, slide them down towards your head. Observe how the sensations associated with breathing change with each position of the arms, and how the volume of breathing increases.
Keeping your arms straight on the floor, bring them to your sides until they form an angle of about 45°. Stop and consciously observe the flow of breath.

Again, describe a 45° angle with your arms on the ground at your sides, up to shoulder height. Stop briefly and observe the flow of breath once more.

Continue moving your arms until they rest on the floor behind your head.
>As you exhale, keep your arms straight and slide them slowly across the floor until they're alongside your body again. Straighten your legs and lie still for a short time, relaxing.

Exercise for complete yogic breathing
Starting position:
lying on back
Concentration:
whole body and breathing
Repeat:
5-10 times
Practice:
Lie on your back. Legs relaxed, slightly apart. Arms relaxed, resting alongside the body with palms facing up. Relax your whole body. Close your eyes.

Variation A:
>On the inhale, keep your arms straight and slide them slowly sideways and upwards on the floor, until they are beside your head. Coordinate your breathing with the movement of your arms, starting with an abdominal breath, then moving up to your chest and finally to your collarbones. >As you slowly exhale, bring your arms to your sides. Exhalation is the reverse of inhalation: consciously begin the exhalation at the clavicles, continue towards the chest, and finally relax the abdomen.
This represents one cycle. Repeat this exercise 5 to 10 times. Consciously feel the breathing process so that the breath is as deep as possible.

Variation B:
>On the inhale, keep your arms parallel and raise them in an arc towards the ceiling. Place your arms on the floor on either side of your head, palms up. >As you exhale, bring your arms to your sides in the same way. Palms remain on the floor. >Consciously try and observe the three types of breathing (abdominal, chest and collarbone).
Repeat this exercise 5 to 10 times. Note how this breathing exercise increases breath volume after just one cycle.

These three phases of breathing are referred to in Sanskrit as:
Puraka - inhalation
Rechaka - expiration
Kumbhaka - holding the breath

Because the air is filtered, humidified and warmed through the nose.