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Breath and Breathing
"There's another word for 'breathing.' It's inspiration, from the Italian 'inspirare.' To inspire means to inhale the air around you. I think Picasso's idea that inspiration comes from everywhere and everything tells it all, so pay attention to the way you breath. Make sure it's inspired!"
- Joy Sikorski
Breathing Basics
Controlled Breathing - everything depends on how you breathe, how you control your breathing and how you use your diaphragm, intercostal and abdominal muscles. The most important thing has to do with slowly letting out a steady but small stream of air.
The most important muscle used in breathing is the diaphragm. If you learn where your diaphragm is, how it works and how to control it, you will be able to control your breathing.
Certain breathing exercises will help you to get the most power out of your breath by building the strength of your diaphragm. Try this one:Joy's Slow Leaky Tire
- Pick out a point in front of that is level with your eyes and use it as a focus point
- Inhale deeply and fill your lungs with air, being careful to keep your shoulders down and relaxed
- Don't breathe in and then hold your breathe. Just breathe in deeply and as you slowly exhale, purse your lips (like you're making 'fish lips') and release the breath slowly through your upper two front teeth
- You should hear a 'hissing' sound, like the air slowly leaking out of a tire
- Let your breath 'leak' out slowly like this, still making the hiss sound, for as long as possible
- Keep your cheeks lifted high, as though you are smiling because you have a wonderful secret that you cannot tell to anyone
- Your posture is important while doing this breathing exercise, so make sure your chest and shoulders don't heave up and down and that you don't collapse forward or bend over
- You might get a little light-headed when you first start doing this, so take it easy at first
- Remember to listen to your breath as you release it and pay attention to how your lungs collapse as your diaphragm collapses too
- Time yourself with a second-hand watch or clock and try to increase how long it takes you to exhale each time
Joy's Article on Breathing
An easy way to understand how your lungs and diaphragm should work together, with a simple way to test your breathing and find out whether or not your diaphragm and lungs are working with or working against one another.
Joy's Article on Yoga Breathing
One of the best ways to develop breath control is to learn how to do yoga breathing. This introductory article covers some key concepts.