The magic of holding your breath

Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash

Breathing is the new rage these days and breathing classes are sprouting like mushrooms everywhere you look. They stress the importance of proper breathing, and terms like linear, wave, square breathing are used to described different forms of breathing to battle all kinds of problems or promote health. And if you're not breathing properly you're in danger of all kinds of ailments or bad mojo.

But what about not breathing? And I don't mean holding the breath between an inhale or exhale, but purposely holding your breath.

Why and how would you use that in your breathing practices?

First, let explore the how

Breath holds can be done on 3 parts of the breath. After inhale, after a complete exhale and midway after the diaphragm relaxes breathing out, but has not contracted.

The all have their uses, but the midway hold is something that usually doesn't occur in most breathing techniques.

So why would we use breath holds there?

Well, firstly...it is the safest...

Breath holds on top of your breathing cycle (after breathing in) tends to elevate blood pressure. And holding your breath after a complete exhale...well we tend to do not so good without air, so don't practice there without someone watching or assisting you.

We use the midway point mainly because that's the point where our chest, belly and diaphragm is most relaxed.

Your body is not expanding to suck in air, nor contracting to expel. And since we are breathing continuously (you are, aren't you), complete relaxation in the chest is a rare good. It allows you to pay attention to tension in the body that would otherwise be overseen because of the tension of breathing in or out.

First a warning. This exercise is NOT about holding your breath as long as you can! You need to feel comfortable throughout. If you feel a shortness of breath....BREATHE!

Try this exercise

Lie down flat on your back on the ground. Start breathing through your belly. Don't try to breath perfectly or use some kind of pattern...

Just breath freely and relaxed.

Now slowly start to relax your body consciously, and as you feel your body relaxing, slowly make your breath shallower. Make it a conscious effort to really link the relaxing of your body to the shallowing of your breath. Don't make one of the two outpace the other.

After a while, and only if it feels completely comfortable, let go of your breath.

Don't consciously exhale...just let go.... and hold your breath...

In that stillness of your body and mind, slowly let the first part of tension in your body pull your attention. Don't force it...just let the tension that attracts the most attention, enter your mind.

Now, slowly start breathing again... keep your attention on that tension in your body, and focus your breath, breathing in and out, through, that tension point...

Yes, you are thinking about breathing through that tension point...

The breath no longer enters or leaves your body through your nose, but through the point of tension.

Sounds silly? Humor me, just fake it as if your really breathing through that point of tension.

Slowly start relaxing again and breathing more shallow..until you reach the same point where you comfortably let go of your breath, all the while focusing on that same point.

Again, let go of the breath and release that tension point from your mind.

Which tension point enters your mind now? Is it the same? A different one? It doesn't matter, just repeat the same process as before.

So, go through a few cycles of doing the breath holds and releasing tension and then consciously start breathing a few breathes somewhat deeper and faster to 'waken' your body up a little.

How do you feel?

More relaxed...grounded, less anxious even? Notice how these points of tension that popped up during your breath holds, still linger in your mind but are more relaxed?

This technique is great if you feel stressed, had a hard days work, or simply use it in a daily breathing routine to wind down after your day is over and you're getting ready for bed.

It will get your mind to notice your body in ways that it usually ignores to get through the day and is a really useful tool to reconnect with ourselves physically.

If you try this technique yourself, let me know how it made you feel. I would love to hear about the experience you've had with it.