Breathe In Breathe Out Move On

That is my parents' favorite Jimmy Buffet quote.

In the yoga space I attend, breathing is not prominent. Of course, there is the "breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth". Only in class are we told to breathe out loud enough that it can be heard. In the sessions, we are told to not forget to breathe.

Breathing is overlooked in the sessions. We are told "focus on your breathing" but what does that actually mean?

In class we used pranayama where we close one nostril and breath in through one and then out through the other. I found it a little difficult to focus on my breathing this way. Before this class how we focused on our breathing was during meditation where one hand was on our chest and one was on our stomach to feel the breathing. I enjoy focusing on breathing this way. Feeling my stomach rise and my chest fill, I feel more in tune with my body. I have also practiced with square breathing. Picturing a square, breathe in and count to 4 and then breathe out counting to 4. I prefer focusing on my breathing with my eyes closed. That way, I do not get distracted.

Breathing in my session was not really taught, but expected. In class it was taught at the beginning of practice, sometimes during, and then we did it on our own at the end.

Breathing is very important because it helps you not rush through poses. I have done each pose with three full breaths. It also lows your heart rate down. Even outside of yoga, it's important to slow down. When anxious, the best way to calm down is to breath slowly and counting your breath.