How to Practice Long Deep Breathing

This is a very relaxing and relieving breath technique:

- Relax the facial muscles - let all tension in the face release

- Keep the lips gently closed - all breathing will be through the nose

- Take a slow, deep breath through the nose so that your breath fills the bottom of your abdomen (near the pelvic floor first), and allow the breath to fill and expand the abdomen, then feel it move up the lower back as the muscles around the spine expand.  From there, allow the breath to fill the chest from bottom to top, until the breath moves into the throat area.

- On the exhale, gently and slowly release the breath from the throat, chest, sides of the spine and abdomen.

- At the end of the exhale, contract the abdominal muscles in order to express all of the breath.

Throughout this way of breathing keep the breath long and light, with no pause (not holding the breath) at any time, even between the inhale and exhale.