A Breathing Technique That Energizes Your Body While Meditating

We rise in the morning with the best of intentions, but without actually setting one, it can be hard to stick with even the simplest plan.

Let’s start with the basics. Breathing. We first have to learn how to breath efficiently to gather more energy into our body at any given time. “Complete Breathe” is an effective breathing method. The benefits are:

• Improve focus and concentration
• Reduce anxiety
• Help manage stress and upset
• Sleep more soundly
• Build stamina

Most people only use the top portion of their lungs (when our chest rises); however, we are only using half the capacity of our lungs with any given breath. Here is a simple method that you can use daily or when you’re meditating:

1) Sit upright and breathe in air through the bottom portion of your lungs by pushing out your stomach and keeping your chest flat. Place your hand over your chest to prevent it from expanding outward.

2) Hold your breath for three seconds. Then gently exhale your breath by drawing your stomach inward to the back of your spine. Repeat steps 1 and 2.

3) Breathe in air through the top portion of your lungs by pushing out your chest and keeping your stomach flat.

4) Hold your breath for three seconds. Then gently exhale your breath by lowering your shoulders and letting your chest drop. Repeat steps 3 and 4.

Complete breathing should be practiced every single chance you get. The simple act of breathing in such a way has enough strength to fuel an entire meditation with no other visualization required. It is a pure and simple way to spend a session concentrating on you.