Breathing is one of the most important aspects of a cleansing and rejuvenation program. Deep breathing brings healing oxygen to every cell of the body, while eliminating gaseous metabolic wastes. Rhythmical deep breathing also directly affects the nervous system, engendering a relaxation response that has a positive effect on the entire body. Although breathing is primarily an involuntary process, it is largely within our conscious control. The breath links the mind and body, and when you focus your attention on your breath, you immediately and positively affect your physical and emotional wellbeing.

During times of emotional or physical stress, the automatic response is to breathe shallowly. This causes a build-up of carbon dioxide and other toxins in the body, and limits the amount of oxygen that the cells are receiving. Many people get into the habit of breathing shallowly all the time and rarely take a full, deep breath. The lungs begin to lose their elasticity, toxins build up in the bloodstream, tissues, and cells, and physical and emotional health deteriorate.

Herbal BeautyLearning to breathe fully is one of the quickest ways to energize and heal your body and relax your mind. Try the following 1- minute exercise to experience the immediate benefits of deep breathing: Focus your attention on your breath, and inhale as you normally do through your nose. Open your mouth slightly, and make your exhalation a bit longer than your inhalation. Again, inhale through your nose, and exhale through your slightly open mouth, consciously extending your exhalation. Practice this for a few minutes, and then return to normal breathing. This simple exercise empties the lungs and helps to clear the bloodstream of carbon dioxide, slows down your rate of breathing to bring about a feeling of relaxation, and automatically increases the amount of oxygen that you inhale.

Take time every day to practice at least a few minutes of breathing exercises. Try the exercises, and choose your favorites. Once you become familiar with conscious breathing techniques, you can practice them anywhere, at any time. I use a variety of breathing exercises, from early morning cleansing breaths to the deep, diaphragmatic breathing that I practice at night while lying in bed. Throughout the day, I often bring my awareness to my breathing, and spend a minute or two consciously using my breath to energize, heal, and relax my body.

If you’ve never practiced deep-breathing exercises before, you might find that you feel a bit lightheaded at the beginning. Go slowly with the exercises and work at a pace that is comfortable for you.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Most people get into the habit of breathing shallowly, which fills only the top portion of the lungs. After years of breathing in this constricted way, the lungs begin to lose their elasticity. Deep diaphragmatic breathing, also called abdominal or belly breathing, encourages breathing into the lower portion of the lungs and fully oxygenates the body. Watch a young child breathe, and you’ll get the idea of how you should be breathing. When you inhale, your abdomen should expand, and when you exhale, your abdomen should contract. This is just the opposite of how most adults breathe; chronic stress and internalizing messages such as “hold in your stomach” lead to poor breathing habits. To restore a healthy breathing pattern, practice the following exercise.

Lie comfortably on your back. Relax for a moment, consciously letting go of any tension. Place a book over your navel to help to focus your attention on your abdomen. Inhale, and push your abdomen up toward the ceiling. As you exhale, pull your abdominal muscles in toward your spine. You should feel the book rising and falling with your breath. Repeat this 3 times, and then relax. On the next inhalation, allow your abdomen to expand, but without pushing. Exhale, and allow your abdomen to gently and naturally contract. Repeat 3 times, again observing the book rising and falling with your breath.

Remove the book, and inhale to a long, slow, comfortable count of 6, allowing your abdomen to expand, and exhale slowly to a count of 6, allowing your abdomen to contract. Continue to breathe in this way for a few minutes, and then relax.

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