Staircase Breathing or Viloma Pranayama
This week’s breathing technique is staircase breathing or Viloma Pranayama. It's great for building up your overall breathing mechanism. More importantly, it's an excellent way to experience and understand how the breath moves in your body and calm your mind. Viloma Pranayama involves interrupted or segmented inhalation and exhalation. Visualise filling a glass of water as you fill the lungs in three sections. First, the bottom part fills, then the middle, and then it fills up to the brim.
Find a comfortable seated position, allowing your body to settle into a relaxed posture or lie down if you prefer and follow this guideline below.
Take a moment to gently release any tension, allowing your body to unwind.
Shift your attention to your breath, simply observing its natural rhythm without attempting to change it.
Begin the practice of interrupted inhalation by taking gentle, uninterrupted breaths for a few moments.
Gradually introduce short pauses between each inhalation, allowing your breath to rest for a brief moment before continuing.
As you feel more at ease, gradually extend the duration of these pauses, creating a segmented pattern of inhalation.
With each pause, bring a sense of calm and spaciousness into your breath.
As you complete each interrupted inhalation, let go and exhale smoothly, allowing any tension to release from your body.
Continue this pattern, gradually increasing both the duration of inhalation and the pauses between breaths.
Start with a few minutes of practice, gradually lengthening the duration as you feel comfortable and confident.
When you are ready to conclude, take a moment to relax and observe your breath returning to its natural rhythm.
Open your eyes softly, allowing yourself a moment of stillness before gently transitioning back to your daily activities.
