Are You Friends with Your Breath?

Do you feel in tune with your breath? Are you paying attention to how you breathe?

Your very first impulse when you come into this world is to inhale. When you depart, you sign off with an exhale. In between, breath is such a constant in our lives that we tend to take it for granted. But if you consider it your friend – always present, consistent and there to lean on – your breath can help you manage difficult moments.

There is a wise adage – “Control your breath and you can control the mind.”

Breathing is one of the pillars of Kundalini Yoga, along with mantra, meditation and movement. Two foundational techniques are Long Deep Breathing and Sitali Pranayam.

In a traditional Kundalini Yoga class, you may be introduced to these important practices. In SuperHealth training, you dive into them a bit deeper and learn how the techniques can help people who are struggling with self defeating behaviors.

Here is a deep snapshot of each:

Long Deep Breathing - Greater Emotional Control

Sitting tall, spine straight, shoulders relaxed – inhale deeply through the nose, expanding the belly and filling up the lungs. Suspend the breath a few seconds.

Exhale slowly through the nose, drawing the navel in and fully releasing all of the breath. Suspend the exhale for a few seconds.

Continue this breathing pattern. Long Deep Breathing is calming, relaxing and delivers more oxygen to the brain. This enables clearer thinking and awareness, and greater emotional control.

Sitali Pranayam - Calming, Cooling Breath

Sitting tall, spine straight, shoulders relaxed – close your eyes. Hands form gyan mudra (thumb and forefinger pressed together.

Curl the tongue (lengthwise). Inhale, sipping the breath like drawing it through a straw; suspend the breath a few seconds. Exhale slowly through the nose.

Continue this breathing pattern. Sitali Pranayam is a calming, cooling, detoxifying breath. It helps balance the nervous system and is a tool for relieving cravings.

Read more about Long Deep Breathing and Sitali Pranayam in Healing Addictive Behavior, available through SuperHealth.

SuperHealth technology emphasizes the importance of conscious breathwork, which serves to decrease physical and emotional reactions to stress, develop inner strength and build defenses against addictive and self-harming tendencies.