Breathing: Conscious Breathing

[Exploring Life] Conscious breathing refers to specific techniques designed to improve breathing through the conscious regulation of breath. In combination with breathing awareness, conscious breathing leads toward the goal of attaining the perfect breath. [1] The health and well being benefits of natural, normal, or perfect breathing span body, mind and spirit, and in this sense improve the quality of our experiences in life. An fundamental requirement of conscious breathing is mindfulness, or the ability to focus and hold our concentration on a single object, in this case our breathing, with a specific intention or purpose in mind. In this sense, conscious breathing is a pathway to physical healing and health, mental stability and clarity, as well as spiritual exploration and growth.

Conscious Breathing: Basic Principles

Conscious breathing is a means to optimize the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood stream. The main purpose of the respiratory system is allow for the efficient exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our blood determines the frequency of breathing: an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide stimulates an acceleration of breath, while an increase in the concentration of oxygen stimulates a deceleration of breath. The body automatically adjusts our breathing pattern in a constant effort to maintain a desirable balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood stream.

Conscious breathing must be practiced carefully. If the carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream become too high or too low both the body and mind are negatively impacted. [2] It is possible, then, to consciously control our breathing in ways that improperly alter the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood and place us at risk. If these improper techniques over extended periods of time we are literally practicing abnormal breathing patterns that only serve to traumatize both body and mind.

When we breath consciously, we engage our mind in the breathing process through some kind of intention. The end effect of conscious breathing is a change in the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood stream. Changing this concentration alters the dynamics of every cell in our body, and therefore our feeling, thoughts, and emotions.

Conscious breathing is unity of science and art. It is scientific in the sense that it is essential to understand and practice only those techniques that produce a positive effect. It is an art in the sense that we bring our powers of creative attention and intention to our body and mind in order to enhance our health and well being.

Conscious Breathing Exercises

Conscious breathing exercises focus on controlling the three key functions of breathing: a) inhalation; b) exhalation; and the c) pause or resting point. The techniques used to exercise control over breathing generally fall into three categories: a) Rhythmic Breathing; b) Sensory Breathing; and c) Contemplative Breathing.

Rhythmic Breathing

The idea of maintaining a specific ratio of inhalation-(pause)-exhalation is fundamental to all conscious breathing exercises. The ratio is not intended to measure seconds in absolute time, but is an indicator of a golden mean for breath control. Incorrectly practiced, conscious breathing can have adverse effects. For example, it is exhalation that the exhalation is longer than the inhalation, otherwise abnormal breathing and its adverse side effects will result. The use of a rhythm also promotes mindfulness by focusing the mind on maintaining a specific breathing rhythm.

2:1 Rhythm: 2:1 breathing is a Yoga technique that involves exhaling twice as long as inhaling. The actual amount of time taken is dependent on the individual. For example, some individuals may find a three second inhalation followed by a six second exhalation beneficial, while others may shorten or lengthen the actual time involved. Initially what is most important is to ensure the ratio is in tact. As our body adjusts to the breathing technique, it is likely that a natural lengthening of the cycle will occur but there should be no stress apparent. When properly practiced, the benefits of this technique are aimed at producing a sense of calm and induces the relaxation of body and mind. In this exercise the rhythm produced is one of smooth constant motion.

4:7:8 Rhythm: Dr. Andrew Weil recommends a breathing exercise that modifies the 2:1 breathing technique by introducing a pause. He calls this exercise The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise[4]. Inhalation (through the nose) is maintained to a count of four, then the breath is held to a count of seven, and exhalation (through the mouth) is maintained to a count of eight. The most important aspect of this exercise is to maintain a ratio of 4:7:8 and adjust the speed to eliminate any sense of stress or discomfort. There is no recommended quantity of air so the assumption is that a comfortable amount of air that preserves the ratio is desirable. Dr. Weil refers to this technique as a “natural tranquillizer for the nervous system.”

The Six Second Breath: The Six Second Breath [5] is similar to the 2:1 breath, but is timed more rigorously. Both the inhalation and exhalation are two seconds, and the pause between each is one second. Thus, each breath cycle is timed to be exactly six seconds. This mode of breathing, the authors suggest, should be the default, or normal, mode of breathing at all times.

Sensory Breathing

Sensory breathing is focused on exercising specific kinds of sensations within the body. The exercises are generally not timed, in other words, the mind is not occupied with counting. The rhythm of the breath is a result of the sensations being embraced. increasing the capacity of both the inhalation and exhalation.

Foundation Breath: The Foundation Breath [6] is an exercise designed to promote deep breathing by consciously inhaling and exhaling to capacity. Pauses in between each motion are used. The purpose of the exercise is to reacquaint the body with full natural breathing, and to instill this breathing pattern as an unconscious habit. In other words, the Foundation Breath is literally the foundation of all breath work.

Alternate Nostril Breathing: Pranayama, a Sanskrit terms common to Yoga, means breath control. One of the more important breath control techniques is alternate nostril breathing. The method is simple: a) close one nostril and complete an inhalation-exhalation cycle; then b) release and close the other nostril and complete one breath cycle. Practiced consistently, this exercise calms the nervous system and helps to focus the mind.

Contemplative Breathing

Conscious breathing and meditation are closely linked. Buddhist meditation techniques commonly identify a single object as the focus of a meditation session. By concentrating on the object, the intention is to focus on the present moment. This has a calming affect on the mind and thought process tends toward greater stillness. In this sense, meditation promotes deep relaxation of both body and mind.

Contemplative breathing means focusing on a specific intention as a means to guide breathing. The intention can be an affirmation, a particular quality (e.g. compassion), a mental image or visualization, or an object. The purpose is the move both breath and thought in perfect unity, until breathing and the mind become indistinguishable from one another. In other words, the breath literally carries thought, and thought literally is breath.

Tich Nhat Hanh provides the following recommendation:

Breathing in I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out I know that I am breathing out.

We do not need to control our breath. Feel the breath as it actually is. It may be long or short, deep or shallow. With our awareness it will naturally become slower and deeper. Conscious breathing is the key to uniting body and mind and bringing the energy of mindfulness into each moment of our life. [7]

In contemplative breathing there is no conscious counting or timing of the breath. Occupying one’s attention with counting, in this case, only serves as a distraction. The sutra, or short verse used, may be improvised using the underlying pattern, “Breathing in I… Breathing out I…” A specific mental image or immediate setting can also be the object of contemplation. The critical aspect of contemplative breathing is the the object of awareness provides the energy to naturally regulate the breath – without the intervention of the mind. It remains conscious breathing since we are observing and witnessing its movements.

Notes

1. The idea of the perfect breath as a combination of breath awareness and conscious breathing is found in Perfect Breathing. Additional information can be found at PerfectBreath.com and the Perfect Breathing Blog.

2. See Abnormal Breathing: The Need For Awareness for the effects of too much or too little carbon dioxide in the blood stream on both body and mind.

3. See Natural Breathing: The Space of Equanimity.

4. See The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise (accessed February 2009).

5. See Perfect Breathing: The Six Second Breath

6. See Perfect Breathing: The Foundation Breath.

7. See Plum Village Practice Center: Breathing