2 Minutes of Diaphragmatic Breathing to Feel Love? You bet.

by Jennifer Rose | Thursday, July 3, 2014

Diaphragmatic Breathing Is the Foundation, Love the Culmination

I was inspired by this small item from Dr. Renu Kapoor's Facebook Page Personality Blog: 

The simple practice of deep breathing with diaphragmatic movement is the foundation for the science of breath. H.H.Swami Rama - Lectures On Yoga.

The most basic meditation skills: posture and diaphragmatic breathing, bestow endless blessings on the developing practice of meditation. 

Crocodile Pose Develops Awareness of Diaphragmatic Breathing

From the beginning of my training I have found the Crocodile Pose indispensable in the development of diaphragmatic breathing. 

I was slow to catch on to the feeling of breathing diaphragmatically. In the crocodile pose, diaphragmatic breathing is automatic! By studying the sensations and effects of diaphragmatic breathing in crocodile pose I taught myself what to look for in my seated meditation posture. 

To breathe in crocodile pose:

Notice how you feel before you lie down, so you can compare it to how you feel afterward. Notice how you feel physically and emotionally, and notice whether your thoughts are rushing or calm and the quality of your thoughts.

1. Lie on your belly with your legs separated comfortably and your feet and legs relaxed at whatever angle and rotation is the most comfortable.  

2. Support yourself on your elbows, so your chest is lifted, and fold your forearms in front of you. 

3. Adjust the distance of your folded arms away from your chest so that:
a. you can rest your forehead on your forearms
b. the rim formed by the bottom of your ribcage rests on the floor

4. Place your forehead on your forearms and relax with your eyes closed. 

Pay Attention While You Breathe In the Pose

Ask yourself:

What do I feel in my back?
What do I feel in my sides?
What do I feel in my ribs?
What do I feel in my belly?

Take a few deeper breaths, pressing the air out as you exhale, then relaxing and inhaling naturally. Return to breathing normally before you release the pose. 

Notice how you feel after the pose, physically, emotionally, and mentally. If you are like me, you might not want to get up. 

Why Does That Feel So Good?

When we breathe deeply and diaphragmatically we are getting more oxygen. We squeeze stale air out of the underutilized base of the lungs, and we naturally inhale more deeply. It is easy to feel how much our bodies love oxygen. 

When we breathe diaphragmatically, we create sensations that are the opposite of "fight or flight." Our sensations tell us that we are safe and calm. After a couple of minutes, the mind begins to believe what the body is saying.

And the vagus nerve is massaged by the movement of the diaphragm. 

Positive psychology researcher Barbara Fredrickson has tied vagus nerve activity to experiences of love.

"Your vagus nerve is a biological asset that supports and coordinates your bodily experiences of connection — of love." Barbara Fredrickson in Aeon Magazine

If the crowning achievement of a meditation practice is to "Love all and exclude none," as Swami Rama concludes in his lecture Treading the Path of Superconscious Meditation, then breathing in a way that massages the vagus nerve seems a very logical foundation.

Call me if the pose is uncomfortable for you.
There are variations that achieve the same results.
One size does not fit all.
Give yourself a personalized practice.
Better Existence 646-831-2675
BetterExistenceEmail@gmail.com

If you find you can't get enough on the topic of diaphragmatic breathing you will love this exhaustive exploration on SwamiJ.com, complete with pictures of cadavers!

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