Conscious breathing holds a healing power. Especially in meditation you can use this aspect to free yourself from stress, to focus and to come closer to yourself again. An alert mind and emotional balance become possible as a result. But in order not to fall into tense chest breathing, there are some aspects to consider. If you want to optimally perform conscious, correct abdominal breathing, then these instructions might help you.
The relaxed abdominal breathing holds healing
Breathing is the most natural thing in the world - but because our nervous system takes over this process quite automatically, many people find it difficult to really breathe consciously. Meditation is an excellent way to practice abdominal breathing in a regular practice. In this way you balance your basic constitution better and find more harmony. This is because our breathing is directly linked to the emotional, physical and spiritual areas of our being.
This means that you can consciously influence how you feel through your breathing. You have probably already noticed how your breathing adapts to your mood and the situation. If you are happy, this can lead to deep, liberated breathing; in stressful situations, on the other hand, you react with tension, which manifests itself in short, oppressive chest breathing. Unfortunately, regular hectic activity can cause this condition to normalise.
For this reason, you can learn to use your breathing in such a way that your mental, as well as physical health, can be maintained by transforming negative feelings into positive ones. If you manage to maintain relaxed abdominal breathing even in tense situations, your nervousness will simply dissipate - you will face challenges in a more relaxed way. Your prana - your life energy - is stimulated and harmonised.
To perform abdominal breathing correctly
By mastering to breathe into the abdomen in a relaxed way, the diaphragm contracts and thus pushes your abdominal organs and thus also the abdominal wall forward with its central tendon plate. This allows the air to flow in optimally through the trachea. When you exhale from your abdomen in a relaxed manner, the lateral abdominal muscles contract in turn - so the abdominal organs are pushed towards the diaphragm. In this way, the diaphragm can relax, sinks far back into the chest cavity and allows the air to be pushed out of the lungs without any barriers. In contrast to paradoxical abdominal breathing, you can thus find liberation.
If you are in the process of your first attempts at correct abdominal breathing, it is best to follow this beginner's exercise:
- Sit in an upright posture and position your back and head as straight as possible, you can let your shoulders hang loosely down. If you feel more comfortable in another way, lie down with your back on the floor and place your hands and arms at your sides. Now you can close your eyes.
- Now place one hand on your belly - the middle finger should be on the belly button, the other hand can be placed on the breastbone. Try to breathe consciously and slowly into your belly - your abdominal wall should move as you breathe in and out. At first, this may only affect the upper or middle abdominal area. Your sternum should remain largely motionless.
- Pay attention to gentle breathing and increase it to deeper and slower abdominal breathing. Try to let it become looser and looser - this should allow for natural, deeper breathing. Do not breathe forcibly into the belly, but in a relaxed way. Just follow your impulse whenever you feel the need to breathe in or out.
- Ideally, you will become increasingly calm and relaxed. You will also notice that your belly moves gently, relaxed and completely from the solar plexus to the genitals.
These four steps are a very good start to approach perfect belly breathing. Use this breathing technique for between 10 and 20 minutes and feel more liberated and comfortable!
If you are already a little further along on your path to ideal abdominal breathing, then this advanced exercise is a useful addition to your relaxation sessions:
- Your posture should remain straight, whether you are standing, sitting or lying down. Relax your shoulders and any muscles that are not actively needed.
- Concentrate on your abdominal wall again - breathe in and out deeper and more relaxed.
- Now use the power of your imagination! Imagine how you take in new strength and energy when you breathe in. When you exhale, you send out light and love. Repeat these imagination stimuli mentally as well, having the words "power and energy" clearly in your mind's eye when you inhale, and seeing the words "light and love" clearly when you exhale. This exercise is recommended for about 10 breaths. Of course, you can repeat this extended abdominal exercise as often as you feel comfortable.
- In addition, the so-called light press breathing is advantageous: it helps you with tensions in your belly. Gently press your breath into your abdomen - your abdominal wall curves strongly outwards, becoming spherical and round, as soon as you inhale. When you exhale, it pulls inwards again. This exercise is very helpful to get a relaxed feeling in your belly again. Then continue with gentle abdominal breathing - but do not consciously move your abdominal wall.
The beauty of these exercises is not just a momentary release - over time you will see that you breathe into your belly quite automatically. Take around 10 to 15 minutes every day, 1-2 times , to practise your belly breathing techniques in a concentrated way. Soon you will feel how you can find relaxation, but also new vitality! Good luck!
