Yogic breathing and stress relief.

BKS Iyengar wrote; “The diaphragm, according to yogic science, is the seat of intelligence of the heart and the window to the soul.  During stressful situations, however, when you inhale and exhale, the diaphragm becomes too taut to alter its shape. Yogic exercises address this problem by developing elasticity in the diaphragm so that, when stretched, it can handle any amount of stress, whether intellectual, emotional, or physical.”

New students often feel their breath is caught some place, although as a teacher, I often notice that even people who have ‘done’ yoga are not actually breathing into their bodies and are also kind of stuck someplace. It takes diligence and commitment to understand our own breathing patterns, learn and/or unlearn chronic unhealthy ones.  Generally when the breath and the asana are done in unison, with a mindfulness and focus, it actually brings tranquility to the cells, releases held tension, and aids in bringing the mind into a stillness, rather than a stuckness. I think the word ’embodiment’ is a good one here. Smiling inside further helps solicit this response. If you ever practiced and held tension in your face or clenched your teeth, that pattern is not doing anything to create extra ease in body/mind/spirit. The advise below may help you develop, deepen, refine your practice!

simple stress relief