Part 3 - Pranayama - Yogic breathing

 

When we breathe slowly, deeply, consciously in and out through the nose, we calm our nervous systems, we improve our immune system, respiratory system, digestive system, circulation and our brain activity. As practitioners, when we practice Pranayama - or 'Yogic Breathing' the child will sense our nervous systems calming and they will gradually (more often than not) begin to feel calm and still, this will help better function of all of their systems too as their heart rate will slow down, their breathing will become more steady, calm and rhythmic.

 

River Flute by Kevin MacLeod

Link httpsincompetech.filmmusic.iosong4713-river-flute

License httpcreativecommons.orglicensesby4.0

Part 3 - Pranayama - Yogic breathing

 

Coherent breathing - This can be practised with the child or by yourself, it's good to practice where possible any or all of these practices in the presence of your child and they will receive the benefits from you engaging in such calming and grounding practices. Sitting in a comfortable position that supports your back, hold your hands in front of your abdomen, palms facing each other, and imagine you are holding a ball of light in between your hands. Begin to deepen your breath and as you do so, on the in-breath expand your hands further apart as though the ball of light you're holding is growing in size, on the out-breath the ball shrinks and the hands get closer together again, keep the ratio of the in breath and out breath the same amount of time, and extend both inhalation and exhalation to 4 slow seconds, either counting out loud or in your head. You can practice this sitting with the child as they watch and listen or you can hold their hands for them as you breathe deeply with them, or if able you can practice it independently together. As your arms grow out and come back in relax the shoulders and feel the energy of your breath moving through your whole body. When you have both/all had enough bring the ball back to where you started by holding it in between the palms in front of the abdomen and send the ball of light and energy into your body or the body of the child placing it either in the abdomen/naval, solar plexus, heart space or somewhere else that feels right for you and/or your child.

 

 

River Flute by Kevin MacLeod

Link httpsincompetech.filmmusic.iosong4713-river-flute

License httpcreativecommons.orglicensesby4.0

Part 3 - Pranayama - Yogic breathing

 

Ratio breathing - This time, place your palms facing up (using the hands for both practices is optional, it simply helps to embody the breathing practices more, and provides a helpful visual cue) and breathe deeply in through the nose for 4 seconds as the hands rise up towards the sky/ceiling and on an exhalation breathing out through the nose for 6 seconds and flipping the palms facing down towards the ground, pushing the palms down closer to the ground as you breathe out. Keeping this going for as long as necessary with yourself and with your child. When we extend the exhalation longer than the inhalation we calm the nervous system even more, we let go of any excess tension in the body and relieve ourselves of any unwanted or unnecessary stress.

 

 

River Flute by Kevin MacLeod

Link httpsincompetech.filmmusic.iosong4713-river-flute

License httpcreativecommons.orglicensesby4.0