Find a comfortable seated or lying position.
Close your eyes and begin to relax.
Take a moment to let go of any tension in your body.
Relax your face,
Shoulders and arms and allow your body to settle into stillness.
Now simply bring your awareness to your breath.
Notice the natural rhythm of your breathing without trying to change it.
Feel the coolness of the air as it enters your nostrils and the warmth as it leaves.
Become aware of the gentle rise and fall of your chest or belly with each breath.
There is no need to control the breath,
Just observe it.
Stay with this awareness following each inhalation and exhalation with gentle curiosity.
Let your thoughts fade into the background bringing your focus back to your breath as the mind wanders.
Now place one or both hands on your belly or around your waist and as you inhale feel the belly gently rise under your hands expanding outward.
As you exhale feel the belly soften and fall.
Allow the breath to deepen naturally guiding the air down into the abdomen and allowing your diaphragm to fully expand and contract.
Breathe deeply into your belly but do not force it.
Inhale allowing the belly to fully expand and exhale allowing it to gently contract.
Feel the rhythm of your breath as it fills your abdomen creating a soothing wave of breath that moves in and out.
Each inhalation brings a sense of calm,
Each exhalation releases any tension you might still be holding.
Continue breathing deeply and steadily into the belly.
Now shifting your focus to your chest,
Gently contract the abdominal muscles and as you breathe in allow the breath to fill your chest feeling it expand outward.
Notice the chest rising on each inhale lifting gently and with each exhale feel your chest softly lower.
Visualize the breath moving into the space behind your heart expanding the chest in all directions.
Inhale deeply into the upper lungs feeling the ribcage widen and exhale fully allowing the chest to fall naturally.
Keep the breath smooth and even letting the chest expand with ease and comfort.
Continue this focus breathing into the chest feeling a sense of openness with each breath.
Now bring it all together for full yogic breathing.
As you inhale first fill the belly then the ribcage and finally let the breath rise into the upper chest.
Imagine your breath moving in three waves filling the abdomen,
The chest and then lifting into the upper chest.
With each exhale release the air in the reverse upper chest,
Ribs and belly.
Inhale deeply letting the breath rise from the abdomen to the chest and up into the collarbones.
Exhale smoothly releasing the breath completely.
Feel the full capacity of your lungs with each breath nourishing your body with oxygen.
Inhale and expand your whole torso in an even wave,
Belly,
Chest and clavicles.
Exhale and soften letting go of all the air,
Upper chest,
Ribcage,
Belly.
Allow the breath to move in the smooth wave like motion.
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Release any control over the breath and just observe.
Notice any shifts in your body,
Mind or energy.
Bringing yourself back now and gently open your eyes.
