Amplify Your Life with Yogic Breath (Full Abdominal Breathing)

This September will keep us on our toes with lots happening in the sky and with it being an 8 Universal Month ( September – 9^th month + Universal Year of 8 =  8 + 9 = 17 = 1 + 7) = 8  Eight is about your pranic energy and is associated with prosperity and abundance. It will bring you abundance when you are not afraid to express your passions 100 % with no apology. And, this is the birthday month of Virgo,  a great time to grow your intentions for yourself, says “Kari Samuels, Intuitive Counselor & Happiness Coach”. The new Moon in Virgo on September 2^nd is reinforcing this.

The word this month is ‘amplification’ with the double 8 energy! It makes everything bigger, either starting or completing things. And with the eclipses coming up, there may be shifts that happen that give you a full picture of next steps, give you clearer vision. It is like looking at a painting or sculpture and focusing on all of it, not missing any aspect of what the artist is expressing.

There is also a solar eclipse with a Supermoon in Pisces on September 17-18 and the second one in early October. And, let’s not forget the Fall Equinox, September 22^nd.  So, our plate is full this month and what better time to focus on healthy daily routines e.g. begin or restart a daily yoga or meditation practice, or a breath work practice to keep you balanced, relaxed and focused during busy moments at work, home and play!

So, here are the steps for a special yogic practice, ‘Yogic Breath’ that is used with asana practices and meditation and it will keep you energized, relaxed and ready to meet any challenge this month or to move through outdated belief systems about yourself.

Full yogic breathing, or full abdominal breathing is a simple deep breathing pranayama with many profound benefits. It revitalizes the entire body with prana (the life force energy). It is sometimes known as three-part breath because it works with three different sections of the lungs and naturally engages both lungs, fully improving oxygenation and circulation of the blood.

This breath is also called the 3-part breath. You will be using abdominal breathing, diaphragmatic breathing and clavicular breathing for this full breath (more details in the audio video).

It is contra-indicated with pregnancy, severe high BP or glaucoma, unless approved by a medical doctor. And it is contraindicated with recent abdominal/lung surgery. So, it is important to get a medical okay.

Elders may find it easier to do belly breathing because it requires left effort. So, for beginners it is best to start with the “belly breath” (abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing) that requires less effort and gradually work up to the “yogic breath”.

Benefits of Full Yogic Breathing

1. relieves stress and anxiety
2. benefits the vital organs, which can easily become stagnant, constricted with emotional and physical tension when we experience stress.
3. quiets the active mind
4. activates the parasympathetic nervous system
5. creates a calmer, more balanced state of being
6. makes you feel centered or grounded

Breathing through your nose, begin by taking in a third of one’s full lung capacity deep into the diaphragm, expanding the belly. Breathe for the next third into the rib cage. Breathe in the final third into the upper chest. Release the breath through the nose, in reverse order; emptying first the chest, then ribcage, then belly.

More Detailed Steps:

1. Belly Breathing – practice 10 times
2. Thoracic Breathing

• Take a long, full, easy breath in through your nose and fill your lungs completely
• Expand the chest and ribcage as much as you can without allowing the abdomen to expand
• Exhale, first relax the chest muscles and allow the contraction of the ribcage to push the air out of the lung.
• Do for 2 minutes. Slow breaths into the chest and out of the chest.

3. Clavicular Breathing

• Do as with thoracic breathing expanding the chest and ribcage as much as you can after doing a long, full, breath in through your nose and out
• Now inhale further until you feel expansion in the upper part of the lungs, right up to the collarbone. The shoulders may get lifted a bit
• This requires some effort so initially is best to do a couple of rounds a day initially and gradually increase.
• To exhale, first release the breath from the collarbone and upper chest and then allow the ribcage to contract

 Have  a sense of friendliness with a gentle smile on your face and avoid tensing your face, neck, throat. It takes practice. Be gentle with yourself, and enjoy the process.

Here are some tips:

1. You can practice this breath with the audio video on my website home page.
2. Slowly build the practice to 15 minutes, not forcing the breath
3. Don’t do after eating.
4. It is ideal to do when you wake up or before bed and with yoga or just as a stress release practice. Doing before bed stimulates the ‘vagus nerve’ and aids falling asleep faster.

You may ask how it differs from the belly breath? With the belly breath, the diaphragm is activated and the dome descends into the abdomen. In chest breathing, the diaphragm is active but the dome of diaphragm doesn’t descend as far because the abdomen doesn’t expand.