Yogic breathing can be performed in any position.
Yoga is a traditional Hindu discipline for attaining spiritual insight and tranquility. The practice is a combination of meditation, physical positions and breathing exercises. According to Donna Farhi, author of "The Breathing Book," yogic breathing, also known as pranayama, is beneficial for mental and physical health. Pranayama consists of four breathing methods, each with its own technique and use.
High Breath
High breathing takes place in the upper area of your chest and lungs. According to Richard Rosen, author of "The Yoga of Breath," high breathing is the least desirable yogic breathing method as it only uses a small section of your lungs. To cause high breathing, draw in the muscles of your abdomen to force your stomach's contents up against your diaphragm. This causes the chest and collarbones to rise and fall with each breath. While it is undesirable to use solely, many breathing exercises utilize high breathing.
Low Breath
Low breathing, sometimes called abdominal breathing, takes place in the lower area of and lungs. Low breathing is superior to other single forms of yogic breath as it takes more air into your lungs, says Rosen. In addition, low breathing massages the organs of your abdominal area, increasing circulation. To cause low breathing, gently push your stomach out as you inhale and allow it to return to normal position as you exhale. The deeper the breath, the further forward your abdomen will extend. Relaxation exercises in yoga commonly focus on low breathing.
Middle Breath
Middle breathing takes place in both the upper and lower parts of the lungs. According to Scott Shaw, author of "The Little Book of Yoga Breathing," middle breathing is the shallow breath most people instinctively use throughout the day. As you draw a middle breath in, your ribs rise and your chest will expand outward slightly. Yogic practice rarely utilizes middle breath alone; most exercises incorporate it with other breathing methods in yogic practice, says Shaw.
Complete Breath
Complete breathing is a combination of high, low and middle breath. The complete breath involves the entire respiratory system for the deepest breath possible. To take a complete breath you would first inhale to expand and abdomen as with a middle breath. Next, the upper part of your lungs fills and expands with a high breath. When the upper section of fill with air, the lower section fills with a low breath. If done properly, this fills the lungs to maximum capacity, providing increased oxygen to your body. You should not put complete breathing into practice until you have mastered the other three types of breathing, writes Rosen.
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