Tips on Effective Hatha Yoga Breathing
by Jennifer
Filed under Hatha Yoga
Proper breathing is the backbone of Hatha yoga. Hatha Yoga breathing revitalizes you and gives you strength. Without it, yoga doesn’t provide as many benefits as it should. Breathing is something innate that we don’t have to learn. We already know how to do it well. Our job is to remove obstacles such as tension, a bad attitude, or bad habits, which can prevent us from breathing properly.
Focus on Exhaling, Not Inhaling
In the west, there is always a focus on inhalation rather than exhalation. However, in Hatha Yoga breathing, it is said that slow, complete exhalation is the key to good respiration. In fact, good exhalation is a prerequisite to good, complete inhalation. Basically, you can’t fill yourself with air unless you empty all of the air out first. When doing any Hatha Yoga exercise, it’s essential that you remember to do proper Hatha Yoga breathing.
In order to ensure that you exhale properly, make sure you are silent. You shouldn’t be able to hear yourself breathing if you are breathing slowly enough. Towards the end of your exhalation, you should contract your abdominal muscles to ensure that you empty out the last traces of air. The more complete your exhalation is the more fresh air you can breathe into your lungs. In Hatha Yoga breathing, the goal is to increase the capacity with which your lungs contain air.
In order to do Hatha Yoga breathing, you have to follow these steps: empty your lungs out entirely, slowly lower your diaphragm and allow air to enter the lungs, expand your ribs, and raise your collar bones to allow your lungs to be completely full of air. Throughout this entire process, you should never gasp for air. Always make sure your breathing is continual and silent.
As an experiment, try this breathing exercise anytime you are fatigued or depressed. Believe me. It will make you feel much better. You need to be careful not to try to fill yourself up like a balloon however because it creates too much strain. Breathe very slowly, silently, and easily.
The best way to learn how to do Hatha Yoga breathing properly is to lie on your back. Avoid putting tension into your hands, face, and neck. Remember to begin by breathing slowly and deeply from your stomach, expanding your ribs, and then raising your collar bones to fill yourself to the brim with air. Then exhale slowly, continually, and completely. By following these simple tips, you will be able to experience the benefits of complete Hatha Yoga breathing.
You can view the Hatha Yoga video too.
Reiki Promotes The Channeling of Healing Energy To Another
Reiki is a technique that helps promote healing either for you or for others. It is a practice of using the hands to channel the healing energy to another person.
The healing powers of the technique are based on the idea that there is an unseen life force energy that flows through each person. This life force is said to be the reason why people are alive. When your life force energy is low, then people are likely to get sick or feel weak. If the life force is high, people fell healthy and happy.
The name Reiki is taken from two Japanese characters that describe energy itself. The word “rei”, which means “unseen” or “spiritual” and “ki” which means “energy” or “life force” is combined to become Reiki. In English, its meaning is usually given as “universal life energy”.
It was Mikao Usui who was known to have developed Reiki in 20th century Japan. Story has it that Usui received the ability of healing after going through three weeks of fasting and meditating on top of Mount Kurama. Practitioners of Reiki use a technique similar to that of the laying on of hands. The energy flows through the palms and brings along with it healing powers that can be used for self-treatment as well as for treating others.
Reiki healing is a simple, natural as well as safe method of dispensing spiritual healing and self-improvement. It is said to be effective in providing alternative treatment for virtually every known illness. Not only that, Reiki also helps create an added beneficial effect, that of spiritual healing. This method is also said to work well when combined with other medical or therapeutic techniques to help relieve side effects and promote recovery.
Reiki, although seen as a very powerful healing technique, is an amazingly simple to learn. Reiki and the ability to use it effectively cannot be taught in the usual sense. The skill is said to be “transferred” to the student during a Reiki class.
This ability is not merely learned but is passed on by a Reiki master to the student during a gathering known as “attunement”. After the Reiki attunements process has been passed on, it allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of “life force energy” that can then be used to improve one’s health and enhance the one’s quality of life.
Although the practice of Reiki may be spiritual in nature, it is not considered as a religion. There are no set of beliefs that one should learn about before learning to practice the technique known as Reiki. The practice does not depend on any form of dogma.
It will work whether the student believes it or not. But it is said that the practice of Reiki helps people to keep in touch of their spiritual selves rather than the intellectual concept that it provides.
The practice of Reiki also aims to develop and promote living in harmony with others. Aside from practicing Reiki and its principles, the founder of the Reiki system, Mikao Usui also recommends the practice of simple ethical ideals that can lead to peace and harmony among people.
