The Breath - Part Two: How do I breathe?

By Nicky Poole, Yoga Community Leader

In this second part of our breathing series, I am sharing with you a personal breath evaluation exercise taken from one of my favorite books The Breathing Book, by yoga teacher Donna Farhi. The purpose of this exerciese is to gather information about the way in which you breathe.

You will need:15 minutes in an undisturbed quiet space, a yoga mat, a small folded towel, a stop watch, pen and paper

To begin: Lie flat on your back on your yoga mat. Bend your knees, have your feet the width of your mat and rest your inner knees together (as pictured above). This is known as Constructive Rest Position, and provides an excellent place for you to begin your breath inquiry. You can place a small towel under your head for added comfort if you wish. Work your way through the following investigations, giving yourself a minute or two for each one. When you are finished roll over, and write your findings in your notebook.

Investigations:

Location of the breath: Close your eyes and notice where the sensations of the breath are most noticeable. You can begin with one hand on your belly, and one hand at the centre of your chest for this first inquiry. Is it in the nose, throat, or the chest? Is it lower in the belly? Are you breathing through the mouth or nose? Remember there is no right or wrong answer here.

Frequency of the breath: Bring your hands onto the floor beside you with your palms facing upwards for the rest of these inquiries. Does your breathing seem fast or slow? Count the number of breaths, or if possible have a partner count them for you. Twelve to fourteen breaths a minute is considered ‘normal’.

Phrasing of the breath: Is there any noticeable difference between the length of your inhalation and the length of the exhalation? Are they equal?

Texture of the breath: Is the texture smooth, or is it jerky and uneven? Are there any sensations of anxiety that arise? Do you sigh regularly or gulp the breath in? Pay attention to the transition of the inhale and the exhale.

Depth of the breath: Does the breath feel deep or shallow? Are you able to fully trace the movement of air into and out of your lungs? Can you feel the movement of the diaphragm? Is the belly moving freely with each breath?

Quality of the breath: What words would you use right now to describe the quality of your breath right now?

Once you have finished, rest for a few minutes in savasana before sitting up and writing down your findings in a notebook. Try not to reach conclusions about what these results mean at this stage, instead use it to get a general understanding of the health of your breath.