Seeking and Finding Wholeness

This article shows you in simple words how to practice abdominal breathing.

Get Ready

• Wear something comfortable, nothing tight or restrictive. Take off your shows and socks
• Lay down on your back, sit in a meditative posture, or a relaxed posture
• Be relaxed
• Hands and legs outstretched (alternatively with both hands on your abdomen)
• First start with your eyes looking up at the ceiling
• Gently close your eyes and relax more

Start:

• Observe your natural breath
  • Focus your attention on your abdomen area
  • You will notice as you inhale that your abdomen rises, that your abdomen falls with exhalation.
  • Observe this for a while and become aware of the movement without influencing it.
  • Maintain unbroken awareness of the natural breath for some time.
• Begin to deepen, lengthen and extend that abdominal movement.
  • While inhaling, let the abdomen rise to its limit
  • While exhaling let the abdomen fall completely.
  • Keep the chest still throughout this entire process – only move the abdomen.
• Continue this for 20 breaths, or a few minutes
• Pause slightly after each cycle (inhalation / exhalation)
• Rest
• Start over as desired

Important Notes:

All of the above steps should be done without strain. It is quite normal to use force or effort; do not. Rather, make the breathing process smooth and effortless. Go slow and easy.

Think of your breathing process as a continuous wave-like pattern.

Remember, keep the breath in a smooth flowing pattern with minimum effort and with maximum capacity.