Breath is Health ! Science & Yoga Agree

Breath improves your Mental health & Wellbeing

Learning to breathe properly can change your life. In yoga, we call it "Pranayama" or control of your breath. We use various techniques. "Prana" means life force and "Yama" control. Science is now supporting what yogis have known for thousands of years about the power of your breath.

The findings of a study published in scientific reports suggest that practicing breathing exercises helps decrease stress and improve mental health. Pranayama is the link between breath & mind.

Breath is life, Prana, Chi, whatever you wish to call it. It is the first thing we do when we are born and the last we do as we die. Breath affects the quality of our life and is key to our wellbeing. Yet how often do we pay attention to it ? Does it matter how we breath ? And why ?

Breathwork practices date back to ancient times, in yoga. We breathe automatically but learning to control your breath has its benefits on spiritual, mental, and physical health and wellbeing have been conveyed through centuries. Prana controls energy, wellbeing and fitness.

Yoga, Breath, Covid, Stress and Mental Health

Currently, breathwork is also advocated by medical practitioners and researchers and is steadily gaining popularity. The beneficial therapeutic effects of breathwork practice have become more widely known since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and as the associated respiratory ill-effects emerged.

I have witnessed first hand the positive effects of the breath as I have helped numerous clients post Covid to get their breath and energy back. The results were astonishing.

Despite its well-known benefits, breathwork has been inadequately investigated by the scientific community. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies stress as a major factor contributing to leading to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression and physical ailments like hypertension.

I always teach breathwork at the beginning of class. So many of us have forgotten how to breathe properly. It allows us to pause. It develops awareness and helps us to switch off from automatic pilot to reconnect to ourselves.

It is like setting an intention for our practice. No one wants to start agitated, distracted or preoccupied, so the breath helps us to release and let go. The body mirrors the mind. For me, this is the ignition to our wellbeing and students report how much better and calmer they feel afterwards. 

Breath is magic. It is most important when we do yoga, I always remind my students to synchronise their breath to movement. It changes everything. A sense of calm, harmony and ease starts to develop within. So beautiful !

When we move mindfully with the breath, we create ease and space. Our movement becomes slower and more meaningful, almost like a slow-moving meditation. It establishes a real connection within and helps to bring focus. It brings us into this one and only moment. This is the definition of yoga. 

How we start the class carries through our practice. The challenge is to keep the breath connection with our asanas – yoga poses, a little like a moving meditation. It required focus and mindfulness. The breath helps us to relax, release tension, create energy & space to find ease and freedom of movement. It makes us feel alive, so let the breath lead you and move you from within. 😊

The breath changes with our emotions. Emotions find their way in the body. Our body, like a computer, keep score of it all. Yet, through breathwork, we can release emotions and tension from our bodies. We start to become more relaxed. 

Yoga & Science agree on the breath's benefits

As we learn to control your breath, we can learn to regulate and calm our nervous system through our breath. In yoga 🧘‍♀️, we can learn the way we feel.

You will find below an extract from "News Medical Life Sciences", Article of January 2023:

"Scientists have described multiple mechanisms instrumental in the beneficial effects of practicing slow-paced breathing. These include central nervous system (CNS) pacification, polyvagal theory, interoception and enteroception, increased heart rate variability through autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulation, and heightened parasympathetic action. 

Stress, depression, and anxiety impair ANS activity and lower HRV. Breath modification alters the neurological signals sent by the respiratory system, influencing parts of the brain that regulate thoughts, emotions, and behaviour.

Additionally, slow-paced breathing synchronizes brain waves, improving communication between different parts of the brain. Meanwhile, fast-paced breathing voluntarily induces transient stress, which aids in improving stress resilience.

Current evidence proposes that one session of slow-paced deep breathing benefits the vagal tone (measured through HRV) and attenuates anxiety in adults. Hence, breathwork can be compared to mindfulness and meditation practices. Meditation and breathing 5-6 breaths/minute improves HRV.

The study showed significant improvements in self-reported anxiety, depression, and stress in individuals practicing breathwork compared to non-breathwork control populations."

How exciting that science is finally catching up and supporting an ancient yoga practice.

As Patanjali, an Indian sage, said in his world known book, Yoga Sutra 1.34, Book 1:

“Calm is retained by the controlled exhalation or retention of the breath”

Breath is the vehicle of the mind, when the breath is slow and deep, the mind happens in its calm state. Controlled, prolonged exhalation has been shown to activate our parasympathetic nervous system, the branch of our nervous system responsible for our “rest-and-digest” relaxation response. This is something we practice regularly in class without fail as it is so beneficial.

In any situation, let us remember to always come back to the breath as our anchor. We can learn to control our breath for different desired effects, energy, balance, relaxation. The goal of yoga is to bring balance, clarity and peace to the mind (Sattva).

There are different breath techniques for various purposes. For energy, for concentration, for destressing, or calming our nervous system, for mental health, for detox, for cooling the body in hot weather, to clear the mind, to increase our lung capacity etc. It’s a powerful yoga tool. Not to be taken lightly and best to learn with a qualified yoga teacher. 

I run weekly classes in Wadhurst, Frant, Fordcombe and online. A blend of breathwork, yoga, Somatics, Pilates to feel good. I also offer workshops and 1:1. All welcome ! Just get in touch...

Group classes, Private tuitions and workshops available. For more info, benefits and testimonials on Yoga and Somatics, pls visit www.yogawithbelle.co.uk

Art by the talented #inspirivity 

Walking like Royalty! Start with Yoga

Yoga helps improve your Posture, Alignment and Balance.

To walk like royalty, you are walking beautifully tall. When you walk, you bring presence, elegance and confidence. Head high, the body beautifully aligned in an effortless manner. How lovely !

"Yoga is not only learning about standing on your head, but also learning to stand on your own two feet" Swami Satchinanda. This alone can be quite challenging for a lot of us.

We had fun in class. All ages, ladies and gents. All abilities.

One of my students is 80. Another one has MS. Another one has osteoporosis etc. Another one practiced sitting on a chair. It really does not matter. Have fun with it ! So good for you.

A great posture looks good and improves your wellbeing at all levels. And less aches & pains !

You breath will improve, your back, your digestion, your mood, your confidence and much more. It reduces muscle, joint tension and fatigue. It increases your energy. It is a mini work out in itself.

A good posture engages muscles of the core, back, and chest. Strength in those muscles can increase your stability and balance as well. One of my students, who suffers from MS, told me how she had enjoyed our yoga session but ached the next day in a nice way from practicing her good posture alignment.

One of her friends in town kindly commented how beautifully tall, she was walking. She jokingly said it was her yoga teacher's homework for the week. Yes, I want you to apply yoga to daily life.

Remember it is normal to feel achy today as you moved in a different way so muscles are waking up 😊 A bit like going to the gym after a long time. Keep it up though and the body will soon get used to it. Practice what you can daily if possible. Rest when you need to.

Start from mountain pose or Tadasana. Check my previous blog for tips on finding a good posture initially. It really helps to prepare the body to find ease in alignment. It makes a huge difference.

Walking tall like royalty, is not just about looking good. Nowadays, we tend to walk with our head first, leaning forward. Not only this adds tremendous pressure on your neck, shoulders and back, but it creates havoc for your posture, back, balance, breathing, digestion, mood etc.

Yoga 🧘‍♀️ deconstructed.

From Mountain Pose... Having practiced Tadasana in a static manner, let's take it a step further.

Walking tall, balancing a book or a light yoga bloc on your head just like in debutante ball in finishing school. Debutante balls date back to at least the 18th century, when young aristocratic ladies were looking for eligible husbands in high society. Today’s debutante balls function more as networking events than matchmaking events. In all scenarios, first impression matters and a beautiful posture always stand out. It also does wonder for your wellbeing long term.

Here are a few tips to practice your royal steps at home.

Starting from Mountain Pose... Let's start with Posture

At home, find a wall. Press your heels, buttocks, upper back into the wall, back of the shoulders into the wall, wide open chest, head resting on top of the spine (not necessarily touching the wall)

Now feet hip width apart, Press your feet down rooting yourself into the earth, pubis slightly forward and hips up a little. grow tall through the crown of the head, shoulders relaxed. Lengthen your tailbone down (don’t overarch your back). Keep growing tall through the crown of your head, eyes looking straight ahead. When comfortable, practice in the middle of the room.

Breathe in the belly, keeping the length, relax in your exhale. Stay for 1 or 2 min.

If ok, balance a light book or yoga bloc on the top of your head, Breathe in and out. Stay tall.

Travelling Mountain Pose... How about taking it a step further ? Balance.

Next, start walking slowly around the room, balancing the book/bloc on your head. Walk with your feet first. Head high. Eyes looking straight ahead. Feel the ground. Breathe in, out and Smile !

Relax and repeat daily for a week ! Then try standing and walking outside (as if you had a book on the head) and notice how it feels. You may awaken muscles you did not know you had.

I hope you try this fun practice and enjoy the feeling!

"Focus on keeping your spine straight. It is the job of the spine to keep your brain alert" BKS Iyengar

I run weekly classes in Wadhurst, Frant, Fordcombe and online. A blend of breathwork, yoga, Somatics, Pilates to feel good. I also offer workshops and 1:1. All welcome ! Just get in touch...

Group classes, Private tuitions and workshops available. For more info, benefits and testimonials on Yoga and Somatics, pls visit www.yogawithbelle.co.uk

Improve Posture & Alignment with Yoga

Posture & Alignment: Why it matters ? Could Yoga help ?

One of my students recently told me "I walked into town today and was making sure I was walking properly ! Indeed when I was talking to someone I met, she commented that I was very upright. I replied, it is thanks to my yoga teacher !" Woah, how wonderful that is. So proud of her !

We spent a whole week in class having fun, practising standing in Tadasana and walking around. All ages up to 80 years old. Results were amazing ! All my clients had fun and noticed improvements in their posture, strength, flexibility. They keep coming back for more :-)

I first taught my lovely clients how to lengthen tight muscles in their calves, Achilles tendon and back of their legs to release tension, using a light yoga block. This will help your posture. Some of my clients have MS or other issues. There is always room for improvement if you approach it the right way for you.

Posture affects and moderates every physiological function from breathing to normal hormonal production. This includes your blood pressure, digestion, bloating, glucose release, immunity etc.

Mountain Pose. Tadasana ! Yoga 🧘‍♀️ deconstructed.

Mountain Pose or Tadasana in Sanskrit looks simple but for most of us, it is not as easy as it looks. It is a perfect pose to improve your posture, especially if you have got into bad habits. Perhaps, you have accumulated tension leading to chronic tight muscles. I notice a lot of people of all ages slouching when they sit down or just stand. Don't worry ! Yoga offers hope for improvement.

Mountain Pose conjurs up the image of a steady stable strong base. This is based on the principle of the plumbline or good alignment of the body. Imagine a centre line from the crown of the head to your feet. Ears, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles should align with this centre of gravity to perform at their best bringing harmony physically, mentally, emotionally. Your body is then able to operate stress free and is resistant for load bearing. It is such clever engineering, just like physics.

If however, through bad habits, injuries, trauma, or lack of proper exercise etc, we have lost connection with this plumbline, it becomes difficult for us to stand comfortably in Mountain Pose. Misalignment leads to tightness, tension and imbalance in the body. Other muscles might try to step in to compensate. Some muscles become weak and become inefficient. Our skeleton relies on healthy strong balanced muscles to keep us moving freely, a little bit like a puppet on strings.

The best approach would be a combination of Yoga and Somatics exercises. First, release and lengthen any tight muscles. You can then strengthen your body in the right places. What holds us upright are strong muscles, that have found a happy balance between those two principles.

How do you check your alignment ? Ideally, the side of your ankle, knee, hip, shoulder and ear align in one line. This is your plumbline. This will greatly help your posture standing up in Mountain Pose, or in everyday life, standing in a queue, walking, running or even sitting.

So why practice alignment or plumbline ? Benefits...

The spine offers our body structure, support and balance. The spine is divided in sections: cervicals, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum and coccyx. All have different functions yet work together. If one goes out of alignment, the whole spine will feel it, so balance and good posture is essential for your spine health. This is where yoga can help with good alignment, flexibility and strength.

It will greatly reduce tension, aches & pain and allow your body to function at its best. It’s a little bit like tuning a piano to restore harmony within. When your body is happy, you are happy.

The spine brings us movement: The spine allows us to move freely (walk, run, sit, stand, twist, bend…). thanks to its muscles attachments. The spine is your conductor of communication. It is designed to protect your spinal cord. The spinal cord is a column of nerves that connects our brain with the rest of your body, allowing us to control our movements. Our spinal cord/central nervous system is constantly communicating with all our organs via a periphery of nerves.

This practice will help release your pelvis, decompress your spine and ease your back and neck as your learn to lengthen tight muscles in the back of your legs. Especially good if you do a lot of walking, running, sitting or heavy squats in a gym.

You might even feel the release all the way up your upper body, neck & shoulders as everything is connected in the body.

Maybe try it first lying down on the floor before standing? Especially if you have tight chest and rounded upper back. Support your head with a small cushion if need be. Relax, breathe in and out. Think length in the body. Repeat for 5 min.

Remember we are practicing yoga 🧘‍♀️ on the mat so we can bring the practice in our daily life.

Exercise 1. Lengthening your back leg muscles, Step 1

This exercise will lengthen your calf muscles and your Achilles tendon.

First, find a yoga foam pad or book about 2 inch or 5cm wide. Stand a few inches from a wall facing forward, hands on the wall, at shoulder level. You could also practice using a step if you have a staircase. Ball of the foot on the step, heel down.

Now, place the ball of your right foot on the bloc keeping the heel on the ground. Press the hips and pubic bone forward, not overarching your lower back, tail down, keep a nice straight spine from the crown if the head to your tail. This means your front ribs in line with your pubic bone. Hold for at least 30 seconds and up to 2 min. then switch foot. Repeat 3 times on each side.

Remember to slowly breathe in your belly, and relax in your exhale.

Exercise 2. Mobilise and strengthen your ankles, Step 2

You can now practice with both feet together. Balls of the feet on the bloc and heels on the ground. Feet hip width apart. Now go up and down 10 times placing equal pressure on a toes, coming down with the heels towards the floor super slow with control. Breathe. This can get intense. Remember to start small, start with 5 reps. Pause. Start again. Notice how it feels.

Exercise 3. Tadasana Practice, standing on the mat.

Prepare to go to your Debutante ball. This is fun. Practice standing with a light yoga block or book on your head, just like a debutante! Look straight ahead, Relax the shoulders, Breathe and smile.

You could also practice sitting, if you wish. Perhaps, both together, standing, sitting, standing... :-)

A healthy back requires the 3 pillars of strength, flexibility and balance. Balance come with good alignment from head to toe, promoting better posture, easier, freer movement and a happier back.

Finally, remember this yoga principle "Sthira Sukkha", meaning "Finding ease within the effort". Stay present, alert yet relaxed. ❤️ Do Yoga, Pilates or similar. Look after yourself. Take care x

"Focus on keeping your spine straight. It is the job of the spine to keep your brain alert" BKS Iyengar

I run weekly classes in Wadhurst, Frant, Fordcombe and online. A blend of breathwork, yoga, Somatics, Pilates to feel good. I also offer workshops and 1:1. All welcome ! Just get in touch...

Group classes, Private tuitions and workshops available. For more info, benefits and testimonials on Yoga and Somatics, pls visit www.yogawithbelle.co.uk