Years ago, a holistic practitioner told me, “You’re not breathing right.” Now this came as quite a surprise as despite being aware of an array of my shortcomings, I felt that I kind of had the whole breathing thing down. Not so. Most people, I learned, are “shallow breathers.” And while this sounds like an insult (“You shallow breather!”)- well maybe it is if you say it like that- it simply means that most people breathe in and out of their chests, rather than the more beneficial practice of breathing in and out of the abdomen  a.k.a. “Belly Breathing”.

What exactly is “Belly Breathing”? Let’s demonstrate: First, lay down on your back- knees up, feet flat on the floor. *Note: Do not try this at work or while driving, and definitely not at Starbucks…learned that the hard way…Anyway, put your palms on your rib cage and take a few deep breaths, feeling the ribs rise and fall. Then move your palms to your belly and continue deep breathing, but focus on bringing the air deeper, down into your belly. If you can feel your hands rise as your abdomen fills with air, you’re cooking with gas. (Oooh, sorry, bad analogy…) And once you’ve got it down, it’s easy to do while sitting or standing too. Read the rest of this entry »