Learning to Include Your Back in Your Breathing

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Misty L. Trepke

http://www..com

 

Learning to Include Your Back in Your Breathing

 

http://www.authentic-breathing.com/breathing_spaces.htm

 

Natural, free, authentic breathing involves learning how to breathe

into all the breathing spaces of the body: belly, chest, back, and

so on in a harmonious way. Because of the excessive stress and

tension in our lives, however, many of us have little awareness of

these spaces--especially of our back--and our back seldom

contributes much to our breathing.

 

Here is a simple exercise that will help you sense your back and get

it more involved in your breathing. Of course, if you have

unnecessary tension in your chest or back much more will be

necessary to actually help these spaces open up in a coordinated

way. But the exercise will at least show you what it feels like to

breathe more with your back, and that's an important beginning:

 

Hug Yourself & Breathe Into Your Back

 

Sit or stand and hug yourself by circling your chest with both arms.

Grab your left shoulder blade with your right hand and your right

shoulder blade with your left hand. If you cannot reach all the way

to the parts of the shoulder blades closest to the spine, simply

reach as far as you can. Now inhale and exhale normally. You will

notice that the pressure around your chest automatically directs the

movement of your breath into your back. Take at least 10 breaths in

this position, really allowing your awareness to sense how your back

begins to open and move with each breath. Then let your hands come

to your side or into your lap and notice how your back feels. Can

you sense it engaging more with each breath? Try the exercise again

for at least 10 breaths.

 

This is an extremely safe exercise that you can try many times

throughout the day. The key is to work gently with full awareness of

what is taking place in your body and breath.