If the upward motion represents inhalation and the downward motion exhalation, you have a wonderful model for how the breath can flow without a pause. You will observe an ascent of the car, a leveling off of its upward motion, then a descent, followed by the leveling off of the downward motion before the next ascent. Imagine that you are observing a car on a Ferris wheel. It may help to visualize a circular pattern. The in and out breaths must be smoothly merged.

Notice that for even, relaxed breathing, the critical moments occur at the changing of the guard-at the end of inhalation and at the end of exhalation. Make sure your chest does not move at all. Now breathe so that your lower abdomen moves out during each inhalation and relaxes during each exhalation. Make sure your lower abdomen is not restrained by tight clothing. Don't slump, but don't pitch yourself forward, either. First, notice how you breathe with a relaxed abdomen. That means perfecting the steady, unbroken flow of inhalation and exhalation. How can even breathing be mastered? How can we train our guards and fortify the city? Can we learn to breathe without even a hint of a pause at the end of inhalation and exhalation? There are practices in hatha yoga in which the breath is retained or held, but those techniques are effective and safe only if a healthy, even, breathing pattern has been mastered. How can even breathing be mastered? How can we train our guards and fortify the city? Pausing briefly any time your posture is slumped or after a deep sigh is natural, but according to the yogis, any habitual pause in the breathing pattern drains the life force. If someone asks you a difficult question, you might naturally inhale, hold your breath, close your eyes, and think intently for a second or two before trying to answer. For one thing, pausing at the end of inhalation is a natural response to mental stress. The fourth problem-pausing at the end of inhalation or exhalation-is often the most difficult to correct. Yogis have discovered that all of these patterns disrupt the rhythm of the lungs, disturb the nervous system, and have an adverse effect on the heart. Pausing at the end of inhalation or exhalation is the fourth and often the most thorny problem. A third problem is breathing with jerks during inhalation and exhalation. Second, a noisy breath indicates that the nasal passages are obstructed. It also tends to keep us locked into our worries and anxious thoughts. This overstimulates the sympathetic nervous system and results in the physiological symptoms of stress and feelings of anxiety. Four deviations from the ideal breathing pattern are particularly prevalent.įirst, if the diaphragm is restricted the breath is shallow and confined to the chest. But, in fact, inefficient guards are quite common. It doesn’t occur to us that they might be showing up late for work or are poorly trained. Most of us assume that our guards are doing their job, but we seldom check up on them. Unfortunately, however, if you closely observe your breathing habits and those of others, you’ll notice this ideal breath is rare. It is the ideal breath in most situations, short of running a marathon or being chased by a tiger. The yogis say the in- and out-going breaths are the two guards of the City of Life.Ī smooth, even, quiet, diaphragmatic breath passing through the nose is the optimal breathing pattern from the standpoint of both good health and spiritual practice. Bad habits cause strain and stress good habits keep us strong and healthy, and create a sense of well-being. The manner in which we breathe influences our entire being: our mental-emotional states, the nervous system, hormonal balance, muscular tension, and all the functions of body and mind. If we study the breath we soon realize that our breathing habits not only reflect our state of being, but have a profound effect on it as well. When the guards are disorganized and disconnected, the city comes under attack. When the guards are well coordinated, the city’s defenses are strong. The yogis say the in- and out-going breaths are the two guards of the City of Life.

Pauses in breathing while awake