When I was first introduced to imagery techniques more than twenty years ago, the instructor talked about breathing properly, implying that the way I was doing it wasn't correct. However, she didn't then go on to explain the why's and wherefores of the "right" way. Since I was clearly benefiting from my imagery work, I assumed the specific breathing technique wasn't a big deal after all.

Then, a few years ago, I met a woman who sings in both Chinese and American operas. When she demonstrated some breathing techniques, I could see that I was missing out on a lot of good, deep breaths — and that learning to breathe correctly wasn't hard at all.

Now that I know the importance of breathing techniques, I call the class "Breathing Essentials," because one of the simplest and most common ways to relax is to pay attention to your breath. Once you learn how to relax through breathing correctly and through focusing on the breath, you will discover that breath is wonderful trigger for relaxation because it is always available. Of course, it may be that you have a physical condition in which breathing is sometimes difficult and taking deep breaths is painful. In that case, you may have a hard time equating breathing with relaxation, but you can nevertheless use the general principles discussed here by simply substituting inhaling and exhaling breaths of air with imagining a gentle soft light or warm healing energy can move into and out of your body.

Natural Breathing

We are all born with the natural ability to breathe correctly. Just watch a sleeping baby. Her chest doesn't rise and fall nearly as much as her stomach. That is because she hasn't yet been introduced to the Western idea that the way to breathe deeply is to puff out her chest and pull up her shoulders. She is just breathing as nature intended.

To understand what nature intended, it is useful to understand how the diaphragm works. This is the sheet-like band of muscle separating your chest from your abdomen. When the diaphragm relaxes and moves up into the chest cavity, the lungs contract and air is forced out. When the diaphragm expands, it moves down into the abdominal cavity, pressing on the lower organs. While you are unlikely to give this automatic process much thought (just as I didn't think about it for decades), you can easily and unconsciously affect the volume of air you take in and release.

If you use the full capacity of your lungs, which is only possible with proper breathing, your blood receives the proper amount of oxygen, waste products are removed from your system, digestion is improved, and your organs and tissues become nourished and strengthened. What is equally important, oxygenated blood helps prevent anxiety, fatigue, muscle tension and depression. Correct breathing, therefore, contributes greatly to a sense of physical and emotional well-being.

Correct breathing also explains something about which I've long been fascinated, which is why an actor's chest doesn't seen to move even though he's just been shot and is supposed to be killed. If he breathes correctly, he can lie there for a long time and get all the oxygen he needs without moving his chest.

Explore Your Normal Breathing Pattern

A very simple test can show you whether you are breathing as nature intended. Sit up straight in your chair (or lie flat on the floor or a bed) and place your right hand on your chest and your left hand on your stomach. Then several deep breaths. If your left hand moves more than your right , i.e., if your stomach rises more than your chest, you are already breathing as nature intended. If your chest moves up and down with each breath, however, you have forgotten what nature intended and will need to practice breathing abdominally (sometimes referred to a diaphragmatic breathing). Fortunately, the exercise written for this class can teach you a simple technique to help you breath abdominally and you'll soon be all to get all the oxygen you need -- and maybe even fool people if you want to play dead.

Using Abdominal Breathing to Reduce Stress and Pain

A common reaction to stress is a tendency to take short and shallow breaths, and sometimes even to hold the breath. When you do this, you may unconsciously feel that by holding your breath you can control the situation. The reverse is true. You are likely to have even greater stress and anxiety, to say nothing of having less oxygen. To counter this tendency, when you experience stress, discomfort or pain, consciously stop and pause. Notice how you are breathing in response to the situation. If you are taking short, shallow breaths, gain greater control of the situation by taking slow, deep breaths from your diaphragm.

Focus on what is happening now and on how you are feeling now, rather than on the future and on whether or not the stress, discomfort or pain will get worse. Remind yourself that by taking slow, deep breaths you will almost always bring your distress down to a manageable level, even though it may not be eliminated completely.

The Sigh That Refreshes

Until I learned to breathe correctly, I could often be heard sighing or yawning. I didn't know that my body was reacting to a lack of oxygen and that I could remedy the situation (and improve my state of mind) either by taking a deep abdominal breath or by using the sigh consciously. (Okay, I still yawn now and then when I'm tired, but not nearly as much as I had previously.)

Here is how you can turn your sighs and yawns into a relaxing, mind calming experience. Without particularly thinking about inhaling, just let yourself sigh deeply. As you do this, let the air rush out of your lungs as you let out a sound of deep relief and then simply let the air come back in naturally. It is particularly helpful if you do this up to a dozen times or more, encouraging yourself to feel completely relaxed. As you do deep abdominal breathing on a regular basis, however, you are less likely to sigh a lot.

Using Breath as a Relaxation Technique

It is not absolutely necessary for you to breathe properly in order to benefit from relaxation and imagery techniques (just as I was able to do for many years). So don't worry if you don't always use the breathing method you will learn in the exercise that goes with this class. Even if you don't take full advantage of correct breathing techniques, you can use breath as an effective tool to quiet the mind. You do this by using breath as a focus.

Remember, when you focus on one thing, in this case your breath, your mind is prevented from thinking about other things, like whether it's going to rain on the picnic tomorrow, how you will pay this month's bills, an unfinished job that has been taking a lot of your time, a conflict with a neighbor and all the other thoughts that contribute to stress -- if for no other reason than the fact that they fill your mind with their chatter. Therefore, here is a short and simple way to use breath as a focus of meditation. Later classes will build on this idea.

If you did the exercise Be Here Now that illustrated the fourth class, Beginning an Imagery Session, you have already been introduced to the concept of focusing on the moment. Here is a brief expansion of that idea, deliberately using the breath to quiet your mind, and remember, don't be concerned if you are breathing "correctly" or not. This will work fine even if you're not breathing abdominally.

First, find a comfortable position in which you can relax and focus your attention on your breath, just experiencing the flowing of air in and out . . . in and out . . . letting your body breathe according to its own natural rhythm, easily, without effort. . . . Notice yourself relaxing more and more as you focus on the flow of air coming into your body and going out again. . . .

If you find yourself coming back to an awareness of your body because you are distracted by some ache or sensation, just focus again on your breathing. . . . In and out. . . . In and out. . . . Relaxing more and more. . . .

And if you notice thoughts or feelings that try to keep you from relaxing — like the idea that you aren't doing this right or you aren't relaxed enough — simply return to an awareness of your breath. And notice that by continuing to bring your attention to your breath, you can quiet your mind and at the same time remain alert. . . .

Class Exercise: Using Breath Effectively

The exercise of Breathing Made Easy is designed to give you an easy-to-learn technique for natural, abdominal breathing.

Class Symbol: Reminder of Natural Breathing

When you have finished the exercise, I recommend that you find a symbol that can remind you to practice abdominal breathing until it becomes second nature to you.

© Copyright 1997, Revised 2002, Arlene Harder, MA, MFT