As I mentioned in Part 1, my introduction to the power of breath and its effects on the body happened about 7-8 years ago when I was first introduced to a breath practice called “Warrior Breath” and a few other little techniques, which I started experimenting with before my daily meditation sessions.
I began to notice how it consistently allowed me to reach a more blissful and heightened sensory state while meditating. I remember opening my eyes one particular morning and looking at the tree outside my apartment, seeing the colors of the leaves with an intensity I almost can’t describe. Shimmering. It was like I was in a different world for a few minutes (totally psychedelic).
I learned then that “breathwork” as it’s now called can be super powerful.
Here are 4 breathing exercises that have stayed with me over the years and become trusted tools for different purposes.
1-10 Breathing
The purpose of this practice is to strengthen the breathing muscles. I’ve been getting into it when I’m going on a walk alone (the keyword here is alone because if people are around they will ask if you’re OK).
This is how to do it:
Breathe in
Breathe out while quickly counting to ten over and over
When the breath runs out, keep counting to ten while whispering
Repeat 10+ times
4-7-8 Breathing
This is one of my favorites. I use it frequently to calm myself down after workouts or to fall back asleep when I wake up at night (I never have trouble falling asleep in the first place – more on this in the near future).
It goes like this:
Inhale through your nose for four counts.
Hold your breath for seven counts.
Exhale through your nose for eight counts.
Lion’s Breath
Lion's Breath is a form of Pranayama (ancient breathing practice originating from yogic traditions in India) that has been shown to eliminate stress. I’ve been trying it out a few times toward the end of a long work day or when I’m feeling overwhelmed by a situation.
It's simple:
Sit in a comfortable position with a slight forward lean and your hands on the floor.
Focus your gaze on the tip of your nose and inhale deeply through your nose.
Open your mouth, stick your tongue out and down to your chin, and exhale forcefully with a "HA!" sound.
That is one "rep" of the technique. You'll want to take a few normal breaths through your nose with a relaxed face after each rep. Repeat this process 5-10 times, depending on time and your level of practice.
Cyclical Hyperventilation
Tummo breathing, also known as "inner fire" or "breath of fire," is a meditation and breathing technique practiced in certain branches of Tibetan Buddhism. It is said to generate heat in the body and is often used in conjunction with visualization and other meditation practices to purify the body and mind and cultivate higher states of consciousness.
If you remove the spiritual and religious aspects of this practice, what’s left is essentially cyclical hyperventilation followed by breath retention.
A small study actually showed that this practice helped blunt flu-like symptoms and fever after study participants were injected with E. Coli (however, it should be said that in this study, cyclical hyperventilation was combined with other practices, most notably cold exposure).
For the past year or so, I’ve been doing this every time I feel a potential infection coming on. I don’t know how much of it is placebo, but a few times it has either seemed to stop the infection in its tracks or significantly blunt the symptoms and progression. It’s nowhere near a miracle cure, but I will continue using it as a tool.
Here is a video of me performing the practice with an explanation of how to do it.