Breathing

Breathing exercises are essential to health and vitality which are critical for creating the life you want. Deep breathing helps you reduce stress, boost your immunity and healing potential. Many doctors believe stress is the cause of most of our illness. Five-ten minutes should be enough to make a difference. Three methods are provided below.

Relaxation Breathing Method

Exhale completely.
Breathing through the nose, inhale for four counts and pause.
Retain the breath for six counts.
Slowly exhale through the nose for seven counts.
Repeat the cycle

Three Part Breathing Method

Place your right hand over your heart and your left hand over your belly.
Feel the natural rise and fall of the belly and chest as you breathe.
Allow the air to enter and exit at its own will.
Just observe the breath for a few cycles.
Once you've familiarized yourself with the nature of your breath, exhale completely.
Breathing through the nose, inhale into the belly, and pause. (You'll feel the air fill your belly like a balloon being inflated.)
Now sip in more air and fill the whole chest and hold. (You'll feel your side ribs flare open like fish gills.)
At the top of the breath, increase your lung capacity by gently sipping in a little more air, and retain.
Before you reach the point of discomfort, exhale through the mouth.
Repeat the cycle.

Alternate Nostril Breathing Method

Sit up tall
Lengthen your spine
Allow your shoulders to drop down away from the ears. Relax.
Allow your chin to run level with the ground, (do not tilt your chin up).
With your left hand, bring your index finger and thumb together to touch.
Rest that hand on your left knee or in your lap.
With your right hand, invite your pointer finger and middle finger to rest at the space between your eyebrows.
Now your thumb and ring fnger are available and ready for use. You'll be using your right hand only for this practice. You will be breathing through the nose the entire time (your mouth will remain closed).
Exale.
With your right thumb, plug your right nostril and inhale through the left.
With your right ring finger, plug your left nostril and exhale throught the right nostril.
Stay on the same side. With your ring finger, plug the left nostril and inhale through the right nostril.
Alternate sides
With your thumb, plug the right nostril and inhale through the left.
With the ring finger, plug the left nostril and exhale through the right.
Keep using your fingers in the same manner.
Inhale through the right and exhale through the left.
Inhale through the left and exhale through the right
Repeat the cycle.

Source: Book - Life is Medicine: Ayurveda for Yogis, 2nd Edition, Kristen Schneider, can order at wellblends.com