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Institute of Serenity PMB 875, 713 W. Spruce, Deming, NM
Teaching Relaxation, Rest, and Renewal since 2002
Serenity Practice: Summer 2008
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Introduction: We take breathing for granted. However, breathing is a complex process that involves three distinct stages:
External respiration: Oxygen moves into the body across the membranes of the lungs and into the bloodstream.
Internal respiration: Oxygen crosses the membranes from the red blood cells into all the other cells of the body.
Intracellular respiration: The cells make use of the oxygen for growth, repair, and replication.
In order to provide our cells with the amount and quality of oxygen they need for their life-giving and life-maintaining tasks, it is of supreme importance, that we breathe properly.
Let’s have a look on the external respiration where we can contribute the most to an improved breathing pattern:
The ribcage expands on the inhalation and contracts on the exhalation with the help of surrounding muscles in the chest, back, neck, and abdomen.
None is as important as the diaphragm.
This muscle attaches all the way around underneath the lower ribs. On the inhalation, the diaphragm moves downward, expanding the ribcage, moving the belly outward and thus expanding the space for the lungs and for the breath.
On the exhalation, the diaphragm moves upward, the ribcage shrinks, the belly moves toward the spine pushing air out of the lungs.
Anything that restricts the movement of the diaphragm restricts the breathing:
Tight clothes/belt
Slumped posture
Tightness in the abdominal muscles due to pain, fear, anxiety (The breath is a sensitive barometer that registers our reactions to internal and external events.)
When the expansion of the lower lung space is restricted, we tend to compensate by over-expanding the upper lung space. In this situation, the upper ribcage is lifted by the muscles in the front and the back of the neck. They have to do much more than when we breathe with the diaphragm. Neck strain and chronic neck tension are often the results.
Allow yourself to breathe with your diaphragm! As your awareness of the diaphragm increases, you may find yourself opting for looser clothes. You may also begin to notice when you respond to stress, anger and other strong emotions by holding your breath and tightening your abdomen.
For more information on breathing, visit the resource page.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: The Practice
Sit comfortably on a chair. If your feet do not contact the floor, place a folded blanket underneath.
Have your spine straight. If you have trouble with your back, place a pillow between your back and the chair. Make sure your head is in alignment with your spine and does not drop forward or tilt backward. Keep your chin parallel to the floor.
Lengthen your spine; imagine you wanted to touch the ceiling with the crown of your head.
Close your eyes.
Relax the muscles of your forehead, your neck, and especially relax the muscles of your shoulders. Release your shoulders down.
Feel the chair you are sitting on, and feel how the chair supports you.
Direct your attention toward your breathing and keep it there for the next few moments. Resist the temptation to intervene and to change anything. Just notice how you breathe.
Now, place your hands on your abdomen below your navel.
On each inhalation, allow your abdomen to move forward a little bit, and on each exhalation let your abdomen contract and move toward your spine.
Do not force anything.
Do not press your belly outward in an attempt to get more air during the inhalation.
Just allow it to happen. Simply release the outward pull of your abdomen. Surrender to your natural breathing rhythm. Air will come in effortlessly and will leave completely.
Do so for the next few moments.
Good. Now it is time to gently return with your attention and to allow yourself to come back into your room. Feel again the chair you are sitting on, and feel how it supports you.
