February 2022 – Pranayama (Breathing): Yogic Breath / Three Part Breath

Happy February 14, 2022 – Pranayama (Breathing): Yogic Breath / Three Part Breath

Good morning Yogis! Today is also Valentines Day – Happy Valentines Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Pranayama week and today is a KISS (keep it super simple) Day for Pranayama Day today! We are going to revisit Yogic Breath, a Pranayama Practice. This is one of my favorite Pranayama techniques!

Today’s Positive Practice suggestion

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is Yogic Breath, a Pranayama Practice. Most of us have tried diaphragmatic breathing (yesterday’s practice, linked below), which is part one of this three-part breath. We recommend incorporating this breath technique into your Asana practice, and bringing it forward into meditation! This is also a great calming technique for anxiety!

Diaphragmatic Breath

• Start in a comfortable seat by evaluating your current breath pattern. Place one hand on your chest, and the other on your belly. Breathe in and out, and notice when the hands resting on your belly and chest move to indicate expansion. You SHOULD use your diaphragm and breathe into your belly, so your belly expands on the inhale and contracts on the exhale. Most of us breathe shallowly into our chest only, and our belly hand never moves!
• Breathe in and make sure your belly expands, pushing your hand out as your entire torso fills with air
• Breathe out, contracting the belly, making sure you empty the lungs completely
• Continue breathing in to a full count of 6, and out to a full count of 6, using your diaphragm to fill your lungs with air, and contract the belly to empty lungs completely. Focus on keeping your chest hand fairly still, and using your diaphragm to breathe into your belly.

Yogic Breath – Three Part Breath

• PART 1 – Belly: Diaphragmatic breathing is the first part of three part breath! Make sure you complete 10 full inhalations and exhalations, counting to 6 for each inhale and exhale.
• PART 2 – Ribs: After 10 complete belly breaths, after expanding into your belly – try expanding your rib cage outwards on inhales and allowing to compress on exhales.
• PART 3 – Chest: After 10 full inhale and exhalations with rib cage expansion – first fill your belly, then expand rib cage, then try allowing your clavicle (collar bone) to rise as you fill and empty your lungs completely for another 10 breaths.

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Share your Practice

Please comment and let me know what you thought of this Pranayama exercise! Do you incorporate diaphragmatic breathing like this, or other Pranayama into your Asana practice? Have you tried this full three-part breath? Do you have another Pranayama practice you particularly enjoy? Always remember, be kind!

More Positive Practices

Missed yesterday’s post? Read it here!

Related Positive Practices

• Pranayama – Breathing – Day 8 – 2021 – Yogic Breath – Three Part Breath
• Pranayama – Breathing – Day 13 – 2021 – Yogic Breath – Three Part Breath
• Pranayama – Breathing – Day 3 – 2021 – Yogic Breath – Three Part Breath
• Pranayama (Breathing): Yogic Breath (Three Part Breath) – Meditation June 2022
• Pranayama – Breathing – Day 3 – Yogic Breathing – Three Part Breath