Something we do every minute of every day can actually change our lives. Most of us pay little or no attention to the breath and yet just 3-5 minutes a day is enough to notice a difference. Here is a simple technique to create balance, ease your mind and maintain focus.
- Sit in a firm chair, feet on the floor, lengthen your spine to become tall; shoulders move back and the head lifts out of the neck. Close your eyes and notice your breath. (When you are working with your child it is important to teach them how to sit tall.)
- Allow the belly to fill as you inhale (softening the muscles in the abdomen), as you exhale relax the body and feel the breath travel down through the torso. At the end of the exhale, gently squeeze the lower belly to the spine. Practice this belly-breathing for 1-2 or up to 20 minutes.
- Using a slow count of four, inhale fully. Take a brief pause, exhale fully to the same slow count of four. Brief pause. Repeat for 1-3 minutes or for as long as you want. As you practice, you may need to increase the count.
- When finished, first stop the counting, notice how your breath feels, and slowly open your eyes.
