Correct breathing is extremely important: it increases blood flow to the brain, it filters out dirty air so that it doesn't reach your lungs, and it imparts an overall feeling of well being. Another fringe benefit is better posture. It is virtually impossible to breathe correctly while you are slouching. Thus, taking deep breaths always involves a straight back, no matter which breathing regimen you follow.
Alternate Nose Breathing
Sit comfortably and use your right thumb to close off your right nostril, breathing in with your left nostril. When you have fully inhaled, close the left nostril, release the right one, and breathe out through the right one. Keep the right nostril open and inhale again, then close it, release the left nostril and exhale through it, and so forth. This breathing should be rhythmic -- count to five with each inhalation and exhalation. Do three rounds at first, then add one round each time until you reach eight.
The Stimulating Breath
This technique listed on the Basic Body Detox Review website is a very simple exercise that you can perform anywhere, even sitting behind the wheel in traffic when you are getting sleepy. It serves to increase mental energy and alertness. You rapidly inhale and then exhale with your mouth closed. Keep your mouth relaxed during the exercise. These breaths should be as short as possible, almost a kind of panting, and keep them even in length. Ideally, you should manage three cycles per second. In the beginning, try for 15 seconds in a row. You will be able to quickly increase these by about 5 seconds each time you do the exercise until you can manage a whole minute. You should feel invigorated by this exercise.
Healing Breath Technique
The healing breath technique, Sudarshan Kriya, is said to eliminate negativity. Its success rests on the breath's rhythm, which leads to meditation, and meditation in turn liberates the mind of noxious emotions: fear, guilt and anger. The main idea here is awareness of the breath and to follow its passage through the nostrils into the lungs and out of the body again. Being aware of the breath allows you to be present in the moment, which is a state of being conducive to sharpening perception and observation.
Victory Breath
This breath, Prananyama, is cleansing for the mind and body. It removes phlegm from the lungs and helps lower high blood pressure. In addition, it soothes and increases stamina. Sit comfortably and perfectly balanced with a straight back. Extend your arms, resting the backs of your wrists on your knees and join the tips of your index finger and thumb. Close your eyes and exhale as completely as you can. Now, inhale through both nostrils in a slow steady way that makes the incoming air hit the roof of your mouth and produce a sound like "saaa." Fill up your lungs, being careful to keep your abdomen pulled in toward the spine. This is not an abdominal breath! Once your lungs are inflated to the maximum, hold your breath for a couple of seconds, then exhale slowly and steadily, emptying your lungs completely. Your abdomen should remain tight while you slowly relax your diaphragm. The outgoing air should again brush the roof of your mouth, creating another sound like "ha." Repeat this breathing method for 5 to 10 minutes, then lie down on the floor in the corpse pose.
