Somatic Breathing Exercises encompass any breathing practice that helps you listen to the natural intelligence of your body to release stress and anxiety. Although there are many of formal breathing exercises, somatic experiencing reminds us that everyone has a unique journey to release conditioning.  It is best to bring sensitivity towards your breathing practice instead of forcing these techniques. You can click on each technique to learn more and read more about Somatic Breathwork Here.

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4-7-8 Breathing

4-7-8 Breathing is a simple method to relax your nervous system. By spending more time on the exhale than the inhale, the body's fight-or-flight response system can calm down.

• inhale through the nose for a count of four
• pause for a count of seven
• exhale for a count of eight through the mouth and let the breath make a "whoosh" sound.

You can repeat the process for a total of four cycles.

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Diaphragmatic Breathing

The Diaphragm is the most important breathing muscle. When we breathe from our diaphragm the vagus nerve sends a signal to our brain to rest and digest. Diaphragmatic breathing is NOT belly breathing.

• Find the Bottom of your rib cage (you can intentionally cough.
• Place one hand on your chest, and one hand on your belly.
• Inhale through the nose and feel your belly rise
• Exhale through the mouth and feel your belly flatten

Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

Nose breathing is optimal for health and maintaining good energy flow. You can learn how to open your nostrils here. These two methods will help you balance and clear your energetic channels.

• To start, you can place your middle finger and index finger between your eyebrows to keep the hand still and activate the third eye. You can use your thumb and ring finger to close each nostril.

Slow Method

• Close one nostril and exhale fully and slowly
• Release this nostril and close the other one
• Breathe in fully and slowly, then exhale
• Switch back to the other nostril and keep repeating the practice.

Fast Method

• Inhale through the mouth
• close one nostril with your finger and fully exhale twice rapidly through the open nostril
• Inhale through the mouth
• Switch your fingers for the second nostril and repeat on the other side.
• Quickly repeat many times for a minute

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