“Yoga is breathing” …the breath is the connection between mind and body and Let It Go Yoga allows you the time to focus on the breath. In Let It Go Yoga, the breath is diaphragmatic – the deep abdominal breathing that singers use. This breath is done by breathing in and out though your nose and allowing the lungs to fill up completely, making the abdomen rise and fall with the breath.
Diaphragmatic breathing is relaxing and will instantly calm the body and quiet the mind.
When you are lying down, you can take deep breaths with your eyes closed. Use your internal vision to watch your abdomen rise and fall with your breath. If you are new to this, place your hand over your bellybutton and relax the muscles allowing the belly to rise on the inhale and notice it fall on the exhale. (If your chest is rising, exhale completely and gently guide the next breath into your hand. With a little practice, you will be breathing deeper than before).
Once you have the breath, start to quiet your mind by simply counting your breath. Inhale is the count of one, exhale is two, inhale is three, exhale is four and so on. When you notice that your mind has wandered off into the past or into the future, simply return to the counting, starting at one. This focusing practice can be done while you are practicing Let It Go Yoga and at other times in your life when you want to be more relaxed and in the present moment.
This practice of concentration on the breath can tell you a lot about your stress levels and your overall tension. During the more challenging postures of the practice you may notice you want to hold your breath or that the breath becomes more shallow or you may even forget to breath deep. Noticing and changing these habits can bring enormous health benefits.
In yoga, the breath is called Prana or Life Force. With every deep breath you are oxygenating your blood and giving your body the message to live and regenerate. It improves all the systems of the physical body and is the pathway to the infinite intelligence within all of us. Many of our students claim that when they become relaxed and unplug for a while they leave with more energy, less stress and have viable solutions to problems that were worrisome before class.
Diaphragmatic breath also helps you adjust and relax within your Let It Go Yoga practice. With each posture being held for up to two minutes you have time to use the breath as a tool to relax your muscles and maintain the pose longer, gaining maximum benefit. When you release muscle tension, you become more flexible, bringing your body to its’ more natural state. You can even direct the breath in your minds’ eye and use your thoughts to relax areas that need it the most.
In every inhale, we take in light. In every exhale, we let go of what no longer serves us.
Breathing is our most ancient, natural rhythm. In Let It Go Yoga, we use this rhythm to come back to ourselves—to find peace, strength, and spaciousness.
So as you lie back onto your mat, remember: Breathe deeply. Breathe fully. Become aware of your inhale and with your exhale just Let It Go.
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