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| Good day,
Here is my challenge regarding breathing and meditation. I have been told that diaphramatic breathing (breathing with your stomach) is more beneficial that chest breathing. I have also been told that sitting up straight when meditating is more beneficial than slouching. So have you ever noticed that when you are sitting up perfectly straight that you cant breath fully with your belly? When slouching, you can extend your belly pretty far. When sitting up straight, it's like you are forced to 'chest breath'. I have asked a couple friend to try this and, they to, agree with me, so I know it's not just me. How do you folk breath when meditating? I sure would appreciate some of your wisdom.
Thanks! |
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| I don't concur with your observation at all. With a straight spine and shoulders back, I find it easier to belly breath. Slouched forward my gut compresses and it is harder to belly breath. |
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| Interesting. Perhaps it's just me! (and the two other friends I had try it). For me, if I go into a full slouch, I agree with you that my stomach feel compresses. But a partial slouch seems to be the best for belly breathing.
When my back is perfectly straight with my shoulders back, I can only expand my belly very very little. If I slouch forward even slightly, it allows my belly to be able to expand quite a bit when I inhale. What's interesting is that when I'm laying on my back I can belly breath perfectly.
Anyone else viewing this thread like to share their experience? Just to remind you that I'm trying to do diaphramatic breathing where you expand the belly on the inhale and contract your belly on the exhale.
Anyone know of a good book or site that deals with breath work while meditating. Any recommendations?
Thanks! |
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| Hi One,
Welcome to the forum.
When meditating on the breath, ideally you should avoid controlling the breath and simply observe it.
Diaphramatic breathing does not actually involve breathing with your stomach (if you check anatomy books you will see that the diaphram is above the stomach), it's more about expanding the rib cage sideways to ensure maximum expansion of the lungs.
I hope that helps.
Jonathon |
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| That cleared something up that I was confused about. I thought diaphragmatic breathing and belly breathing were the same thing. That explains alot. It's the belly breathing I cant do with perfect posture. The diaphragmatic breathing with good posture is definitely do-able.
Thanks! |
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| The “Insight Meditation” program by Salzberg and Goldstein offers an excellent introduction and foundation to meditation. Lesson One specifically discusses posture and breath. Several years ago a friend recommended The Breathing Book by Donna Farhi. I enjoyed the anatomical discussion regarding breathing, though I’ve spoken to others who really did not receive the book that well. I’d recommend looking through it at a book store to see if it appeals to you. Yoga: The Iyengar Way by Mira and Mehta is an excellent all around reference to the Iyengar practice, and there is an extensive section on Pranayama.
Namaste
Kris |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Just to clarify - all breathing is "diaphragmatic". If your diaphragm doesn't move, you don't breathe as a general rule. Now don't nitpick and tell me about the intercostals etc. All but the most gifted yogis must rely on the diaphragm to breathe. |
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| Yes, the diaghram is pretty much always involved. I think a lot of this is semantics; I think of what jonnie describes as chest breating beause the chest is what moves when you expand by moving the rib cage. If the belly moves down and/or out, I think of it as belly breathing. During meditation, tend to breathe deep and have some movement of the chest and belly. |
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| tourist - 2007-04-12 6:45 PM
Just to clarify - all breathing is "diaphragmatic". If your diaphragm doesn't move, you don't breathe as a general rule. Now don't nitpick and tell me about the intercostals etc. All but the most gifted yogis must rely on the diaphragm to breathe.
....but what about the intercostals etc  |
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Location: London, England | tourist - 2007-04-11 3:45 PM
Just to clarify - all breathing is "diaphragmatic". If your diaphragm doesn't move, you don't breathe as a general rule. Now don't nitpick and tell me about the intercostals etc. All but the most gifted yogis must rely on the diaphragm to breathe.
And were you referring to the external, inner, or innermost intercostals
Nick |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
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| What about a pause between breaths? Specifically after the exhale. I tend to get more relaxed because my breathing gets more into a rythem without the pause. I know some will say "Just breath naturally". I'm just trying to figure out what "natural breathing" is. |
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| Anybody have any input on whether it's more natural to pause in-between breaths when meditating or not to have a pause? or is it just a matter of preference? |
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| In deep meditation, breathing almost disappears. Do not think about breathing. Merge "observer" with infinity or emptiness. |
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| One - 2007-04-24 5:27 AM
Anybody have any input on whether it's more natural to pause in-between breaths when meditating or not to have a pause? or is it just a matter of preference?
In pranayama we control the breath. In meditation, we may observe the breath (depending on the type of practise) but we don't control it.
Just let the breath happen naturally, including the pause.
Jonathon |
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| jonnie - 2007-05-10 6:42 AM
One - 2007-04-24 5:27 AM
Anybody have any input on whether it's more natural to pause in-between breaths when meditating or not to have a pause? or is it just a matter of preference?
In pranayama we control the breath. In meditation, we may observe the breath (depending on the type of practise ) but we don't control it.
Just let the breath happen naturally, including the pause.
Jonathon
Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| Thankyou |
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Member
Posts: 26
| I have noticed, through my meditation, that the breath shouldn't push the belly nor the chest out significantly. I have found a deep spot, somewhere between my belly and my chest. If I relax, this spot seems to pull the air into my lungs by it self. Also it seems to push the air out by itself. I guess this is my natural breathing.
The spot seems to be located at the same place in my body, from which a bubbling feeling of happiness comes from.
Also, as people already have said; if you are not doing a breathing exercise, don't mind it during you practise. If you don't mind the breathing, the meditation will make it natural after a while. |
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| I took a Tibetan Breathing workshop last year, where we actually practiced breathing without activating the diaphragm. Very interesting. But I concur with what optimystic wrote - that when you're slouched, there's more pressure on your stomach which makes it harder to do belly breathing.
Namaste,
Miriam
www.miriamverhaar.ca |
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Breating/meditation questions
