Yogic Breathing

1. Lie on your back on the floor or on a very firm pad. Put a small pillow or rolled -up towel under your head/neck to keep the head looking up comfortably.
2. Place your right hand, palm down., over the lower belly just above the pubic bone. Place your left hand, palm down, over the right hand
3. Inhale easily into the lungs by pushing the belly up with your diaphragm muscles. Without moving the ribs.
4. Hold your breath at the top of the inhale for a couple of moments.
5. Exhale easily relaxing the the belly slowly.
6. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 slowly and rhythmically. In...Hold...Out...In..Hold...Out...

In Hatha Yoga this is called he "corpse posture". The breathing is slow and regular: slower is better. After 5 or ten minutes of this style of breathing you will likely feel refreshed and revitalized in a relaxed way.

Babies breath this way.

If you find it difficult to breathe this way while lying down, try sitting on a chair with your hands over your belly as in step one. Then holding your hands against the belly softly.

1. Inhale easily into the lungs by pushing the belly out with the diaphragm muscles
2. Hold your breath at the top of the inhale for a moment.
3. Exhale easily by pulling the belly in easily.
4. Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 slowly and rhythmically. In...Hold...Out...In...Hold...Out...

This seated version is fundamental to all the practices of meditation used anywhere in the Orient. Or all that I know of.

These two methods of breathing probably have slightly different effects but they are subtle.