|
Centering through Conscious Breathing*
Conscious breathing is a soma-psyche (body-mind) practice. Taken from Yoga, it is a gentle beginning “Pranayama”. “Prana” is energy/breath and “yama” is control. It is an exercise in consciously controlling the breath. When we consciously control the breath, through breathing exercises, we open, clear and change the flow of energy in the body. When we do that we also change our sensory, mental, emotional and spiritual experience of being in the world
Centering is to come to a state of consciousness from being centered within oneself. This inner state is experienced as a state of truthfulness, integrity - a sensing of one's true self - a natural state of being.
Conscious Breathing is a body-based (somatic) psychosynthesis Centering Exercise. The benefits are most notably a state of detached awareness, in meditation and yoga this is called ‘non-attachment’, in psychosynthesis it is called disidentification. In all these approaches the effect is to facilitate a state of inner harmony, support right relationship and self-realization. (p. 18)
Common Benefits include:
Bringing oneself to quietness, calmness, grounding, softening, releasing tension, bringing clarity to the mind, coming into a state of non-attachment, being at ease, expanding your breath capacity, detoxing the body, an exchange of oxygen and chemistry in the brain, altering your state of consciousness, coming into a state of meditation, a state of 'big mind', mental spaciousness, seeing the whole picture, detachment and disidentification, lessening the control of the ego-mind, feeling at peace and a sense of gentle happiness, opening to receive, slowing down and becoming more compassionate and empathic, a state of meditation, reflection, enhancing focus and concentration, a greater sense of connecting to ones sense of purpose and meaning in life.
Conscious Breathing Exercises
Breathe naturally: In the beginning just breath as naturally as you can and over time, after a number of repetitions, the breathing rhythm and length of breath will begin to come into a steady and even pacing and each inhale and exhale will begin to get longer.
Benefits of Repetition: Try to do the same number of times for each nostril. At first your breathing may be erratic. Do enough repetitions so that you begin to sense, experience, a shift in erratic breathing to a natural, consistent, and equal rhythm and pacing for each inhale and exhale. Each inhale and exhale will begin to get longer and longer over time thus expanding breath capacity and exercising you breathing muscles.
If you want to you can repeat the whole set 2 or more times, or you increase the number of breaths up 8 or 10 repititions. When you are finished you can pause with your right hand on your right knee in the same murdra as the left hand and just breathe naturally and notice how you feel, or you can go right onto the next practice
If you want to you can repeat the whole set 2 or more times, or you increase the number of breaths up 8 or 10 repititions. When you are finished you can pause with your right hand on your right knee in the same murdra as the left hand and just breathe naturally and notice how you feel, or you can go right onto the next practice
(3) 3-part breathing
- Rest both hands on your knees palms facing upward
- Breathe through both nostrils sending your breath to your navel
- Continue inhaling as you send the breath to fill up yours ribs
- Continue inhaling and fill up your collar bones
- Exhale completely
- Repeat 5 times or more
Imagine your body from the navel to the collar bones is like a glass and that you are filling the glass with breath 1/3 at a time: first you fill up the lower 3rd (the navel), then the next 3rd (the ribs), then all the way to the rim (the collar bones). When you exhale imagine you are pouring out the air a little at a time. Start with a natural breath and eventually try to make the exhale last as long as the inhale.
Over time the inhale and exhale will expand and lengthen.
When you are finished you can pause with your right hand on your right knee in the same murdra as the left hand and just breathe naturally and notice how you feel.
* Mindfulness is a core principle of all practices. Proceed mindfully and gently and only continue these, or any exercises, if you arecomfortable doing them and are freely choosing to do so.
Assagioli, Roberto. 1965, 2000 Edition. Psychosynthesis: A Collection of Basic Writings. The Synthesis Center, Inc. Amherst, MA.
|
