Breathing is an important part of every type of meditation (both active and passive!) as focusing on the breath is an integral part of the practice.
Many forms of meditation begin by taking deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. As with most things in life, there are optimal breathing techniques that will greatly benefit you. Take a deep breath right now and exhale. Did you naturally stretch towards the ceiling as you inhaled and slouch when you exhaled? Take one more breath and pay attention to the movement of your body if you didn’t notice it the first time.
As you inhale, conscioulsy fill your belly with air and allow it to expand outwards and as you exhale consciously pull your belly button towards your spine. This might not feel natural at first, but this is the proper way to breath. Taking deep breaths like this allow more oxygen to circulate throughout the body and this will aid with your meditation practice.
Certain meditations have you hold your breath for a prolonged period of time. It’s normal to feel faint or dizzy if you take a deep breath and hold it because you’re receiving much more oxygen than you’re used to. There are many benefits to deep breathing though, one of them being improved circulation.
Other breathing exercises have you take 10 deep breaths in through the nose followed by 10 quick breaths out of the nose. Your meditation practice will benefit from breathing exercises, no matter what type of exercises you decide to do. You’ll be able to achieve greater relaxation and mental clarity, which will in turn lead to peace of mind and self-awareness.
Start being mindful of your breath in meditation and expand this focus to other areas of your life. Your meditation practice will improve and you’ll experience the other benefits deep breathing has to offer!
