Yes, respiring is a skill, and it’s a really systematic art. The activity of respiring is far more than inhaling and breathing out air. It triggers off an entire chain of physio-biological reactions, spanning every one of the billions of cells which make up our bodies. Additional oxygen in the blood stream excites the excretory system, so clearing the body of damaging toxins. Additional oxygen in the brain provides extra vitality and potency. Deep meditative respiring is a sort of reminder to the body that all is fine and in control.

Breathing has often been part of our wellness armory, but somehow as one grows older, respiring becomes far less systematic. It becomes shallow, and we start to respire in the chest, instead of the stomach.

So, what’s the correct way of breathing?

Have you ever seen a baby breathe? Out and in, deep and even, slow, simple and calm. If you look closely, you’ll see that it isn’t the chest that’s rising and falling, rather it’s the stomach. To put it more exactly, it’s the diaphragm, the muscle between the chest and the intestinal hole, which moves.

Now, compare this with your own style of respiring. Possibilities are that you’ll find that it differs. If you are like most people, your higher chest expands as you breathe and contracts as you exhale. Over time, you have learned to hold your belly in.

The trouble is that this has become something normal in most people’s lives. Over the years, life in a crowded city, with chronic pollution problems and a lack of fresh air can result in the gradual shift from abdominal breathing (also called Belly Breathing) to chest breathing.

This shift in breathing pattern, however, is not a natural feature of growing older. Many experts are of the opinion that this is simply a bad habit. They also believe that by breaking the habit, and returning to a style of breathing like that of an infant, we can help rid ourselves of chronic complaints headaches and fatigue. Moreover, by adopting a proper breathing technique, we may be able to ward off stress, lower our blood pressure, and strengthen our hearts and much more.

“The way we breathe can have a serious impact on how we feel,” claims therapist Dr. Phil Nuernberger, writer of liberty From Stress.”Many stress related illnesses, whether physical, psychological or emotional, might be due to unacceptable respiring, and luckily, they can be simply reversed by adopting systematic breathing mechanisms.”

Apart from the health benefits, deep respiring also ends in a far better sense of contentment. It inspires creativeness, excites memory, and soothes emotional extremities.

Practicing Belly Breathing

Find a comfy place to sit. Ensure you are wearing thin and comfy clothing. Now, place your right arm on your belly, and breathe in the following way.

1. Breathe in through the nose, counting 2. 2. Hold, counting up to 4. 3. Breathe out through the mouth, counting three.

As you breathe in, feel your belly fill up with air and expand outwards, and as you breathe out, feel your belly let down.

Do this 10 times, 3 times each day for the following one week and see how your well being improves.

Happy Breathing for a healthful life.

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