Breath Awareness

Here is a little exerpt from week one of the BiG LYFE Design workshop. In my experience one of the simplest ways to bring more peace into life it to breath. Breathing deeply relaxes the body, clears the mind, and slows the pace of a hectic life. Enjoy the process, feel free to print this off and use it at your convenience, and remember... just breathe.


Breath Awareness

Oxygen plays a vital role in a properly functioning system, it turns fat into carbon dioxide that we release as we exhale and water that supports the hydration of organs and tissues. Our stressful lives keep us in a continuous fight or flight mode promoting quick chest respiration that comes in handy for emergencies. Deep breathing reduces stress on the body telling the brain to return all systems to normal. Breath is also symbolic of accepting, allowing, and gratitude for the gift of life. To retrain yourself to breathe deeply take a moment to discover how you are using breath then practice the continuous breathing exercise that follows.



Do you hold your breath for any length of time? If so, how long?





Do you hold your breath in certain situations? If so, when? Describe the situations and the feelings associated with those feelings.





Do you fully inhale when you are accepting a breath? If not, why?





Do you fully exhale when you let go of a breath? If not, why?





What do you expect from the breath?





What do you receive with each breath?





What do you release with each breath?





When do you expect to accept breath fully?





When do you expect to let go of breath fully?

Continuous Breathing (1-2 minutes)
Imagine in your mind, a vast ocean. See the ocean ebbing and flowing in a soothing rocking motion. Listen to the sound the water makes as it moves onto the beach and then retreats to itself again. Feel the rhythm of the water as it moves, rocking you back and forth, back and forth. Now match your breathing to this rhythm, breathing in and out through your mouth, fully expanding and contracting the diaphragm. Place the index and middle fingers of one hand at the base of the sternum and press in one half inch. Feel the diaphragm as it presses against the fingers, pushing out on them. Continue practicing this breath for a few minutes and use this breath throughout each of the meditations in this section.

Here’s the Skinny…

What was your experience with breathing deep into your belly? What did you feel? Were you able to allow your belly to relax fully? What did you notice in your body as you practice this breath? How did you feel after you were finished with the exercise?