Inhale Exhale Inhale

It sounds funny to suggest that someone breathe. Our lives are full of breath; quickness of breath when we are nervous, shallow breath after running uphill, deep breath to take in the ocean air. We need breath twenty-four hours a day, yet so often we are unconscious of our breath. It comes easily so why stop to think about it? Well breath has the incredible ability to calm you. In our ever quickening, stress filled lives it is important to take time for practices that will refresh your tired body and mind.

The common pattern is for us to breath with only a fraction of our lung capacity. With a shallow breath cycle as this we leave old oxygen to fall to the bottom of our lung lobes. The old air, which was oxygen rich upon arrival into the lungs, has now become stale. It can no longer expel fresh oxygen to the tissues of the body. Yep, you are right it is time, dear reader to inhale some new Co2 to revitalize your weary tissues.

Steps to a little less stress and a little more Co2:
1. Find a quiet place to sit and relax. (Sitting crosslegged on a cushion in a warmly lit area works best. My favorite spot here is a little jungle hideout with an ocean view: see pic.)
2. Sit up straight and close your eyes.
3. Begin to focus on your breath. Recognize how shallow or deep it is, but do not change it yet.
4. Now begin to inhale past what is normally comfortable.
5. Retain your breath at the top of your inhale.
6. Stay here for 5 seconds, before the exhale. (Or start at one and work up to five.)
7. Exhale completely, past what you would normally do.
8. Stop for 5 seconds at the end of the exhale before inhaling again. Repeat steps 4-8 five times.

If you enjoyed this exercise you can find more information about pranayama (breath focus) by reading: http://http://www.yogajournal.com//practice/2574