The Perfect yoga pose for retraining your body to Relaxation Breathing Naturally.
Breathing normally and naturally is Very important to your level of relaxation and calmness; very important to your overall health.
When we breathe high in the chest area, we are not getting a full natural breath. Even if you breathe faster or slower, if you are breathing high in your chest (your upper chest, ribs and shoulders are moving when you breathe) you are not getting enough air. This will contribute to your stress, anxiety and fear level.
Normal Natural breath is a Diaphragmatic Breath or a Relaxation Breath, as I like to call it. This breath originates from the diaphragm muscle, which is located across the body below the lungs. When you are breathing normally your stomach area below the rib cage and above the navel will rise and fall. The Diaphragmatic Breathe originates here.
For example, when you watch a toddler running around in their diaper, you will notice that their nice round little belly is easily and freely moving in and out. You do not see their upper chest, ribs and shoulders heaving up and down, right?
This is because they haven't yet experienced any trauma or drama in their lives. Observe this phenomenon the next chance you get.
Some people have been breathing so long in a "Fight, Flight or Freeze" breathe that they have difficulty getting back to a normal breath. For those people there is a simple exercise:
The Crocodile
This is a simple Relaxing yoga pose that anyone can do.
1. First lay on your belly on the floor. Put your legs about a few feet apart. Drop your heels inward, or move your legs to what is a comfortable position for you.
2. Next put you arms in front of you, so that your upper chest is off the ground and hold onto your elbows, making a square with your arms. Rest your forehead on you top arm. Close your eyes and Relax, Breathe.
3.Notice that you feel only your legs, hips and lower abdomen on the floor.
This position provides a gentle compression to your lower stomach and abdomen that provides you with physical feedback on your diaphragmatic breathing. It helps you learn to do this correctly.
The gentle compression is very soothing and comforting. Slow and deepen your breathing.
This is a beautiful yoga pose for Self Calming and Restoring Natural Relaxed breathing. It is helpful for headache relief and calming digestion.
Strongly recommended for the treatment of Stress and Anxiety.
Amelia Hasenohrl, LPC, CHt. April 7, 2016
