How to Find a Full Yogic Breath

Three-part breath is one of the most grounding breathing exercises you can do. If done correctively its a way of bringing all of your attention to the present moment and get in tune with the sensations of your physical body. It’s often taught at the beginning of yoga classes as a way to transition students to disconnect from their mind chatter and focus on practice.

The benefits of the three part breath include:

Calms the mind and body, reducing stress and anxiety

Promotes full and complete breathing

Increases oxygen supply to the blood

Helps keep the lungs healthy

Releases muscular tension

Prepares for deeper meditation

A full Yogic breath uses the full capacity of the lungs utilising the three chambers of the lungs which are the abdominal, chest and clavicular. First you breath, filling the abdomen, pushing out the belly. Next the breath expands the ribcage and finally lifts the upper chest and the clavicle. You then exhale in reverse, deflating the upper chest, then the ribs and then pulling the abdomen in and up.

First practice each part separately :

Abdominal breath

Bring your attention to the navel point area. Take a slow deep breath by letting the belly relax and expand (this can be really hard for a lot of people to do natural, as we quite often get in the habit of sucking our bellies in all the time). As you exhale, gently pull the navel in and up towards the spine. Keep the chest relaxed, entirely breathing with the abdominal.

Ribs

Sit straight and keep the diaphragm still. Do not let the abdomen extend. Inhale slowly using the chest muscles. The chest expands by using the intercostal muscles between the ribs. Do this slowly and focus on the sensation of expansion. Exhale and do not use the abdomen.

Clavicular breath

Sit straight, contract the navel in and keep the abs tight. Lift the chest without inhaling. Now inhale slowly and expand the shoulders and the collarbone. Exhale and keep the chest lifted.

DIARY OF A BEAUTY SEEKER