Deepening Meditation with Breathwork can help you feel more grounded, focused, and peaceful.
Meditation and breathwork are like old friends—each one enriches the other. While meditation often involves simply observing the breath, adding intentional breathwork can deepen your experience, making your practice feel more grounded, focused, and peaceful.
Today, we’ll dive into a few breathwork techniques that can elevate your meditation, my lovelies, making it even more fulfilling.
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The Beautiful Bond Between Breathwork and Meditation
Imagine breathwork as a gentle doorway into deeper meditation. It helps calm the mind and steady the body, creating a space of stillness and introspection.
When you start with breathwork, you’re more likely to reach those deep, tranquil meditation states that truly nourish you.
And the best part?
You’ll start feeling the calming effects of mindfulness that much sooner!
Scientific Benefits of Deepening Meditation with Breathwork
Research shows that deepening meditation with breathwork can lead to significant physiological and psychological benefits. Studies* have found that combining these practices can:
- Reduce cortisol levels more effectively than meditation alone
- Increase oxygen saturation in the blood
- Improve heart rate variability
- Enhance focus and concentration
- Deepen the meditative state more quickly
When practitioners focus on deepening meditation with breathwork, they often report reaching profound states of calm more consistently than with either practice alone.
*American Lung Association on breathing techniques: Benefits of Breathwork*Harvard Health article on meditation: Meditation Research
*Scientific study on breathwork: Research on Breathing Techniques
Breathwork Techniques to Enhance Your Meditation
Here are three soothing breathwork techniques to try as part of your meditation. Give them a go and see how they shape your practice.
1. Belly Breathe Softly (Diaphragmatic Breathing)
Start by sitting or lying in a comfortable position that doesn’t squish your abdomen.
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your tummy.
- Slowly inhale through your nose, allowing your belly to rise more than your chest.
- Gently exhale through your mouth or nose, feeling the belly fall.
- Focus on making your breaths slow, deep, and consistent.
- Continue this breathing pattern for a few minutes before beginning your meditation.
Benefits: This type of breathing is ideal for reducing stress and shifting you from fight-or-flight mode into relaxation. A calm mind and body are much better prepared for meditation!
2. Alternate Nostril Breathing
- Sit comfortably with your back straight and left hand resting on your lap.
- Place your right thumb on your right nostril and your right ring finger on the left nostril.
- Close your right nostril and inhale slowly through the left nostril.
- Close the left nostril, open the right, and exhale slowly.
- Keep the left nostril closed, inhale through the right.
- Close the right nostril, open the left, and exhale slowly.
- Continue this pattern for several cycles.
Benefits: Alternate nostril breathing is wonderful for clearing your mind, calming your nervous system, and balancing both hemispheres of your brain. Perfect prep for a centred, peaceful meditation..
3. Box Breathing
- Sit in a meditation posture and close your eyes to focus inward.
- Inhale through your nose for a count of four.
- Hold your breath for a count of four (only if comfortable).
- Exhale through your nose for a count of four.
- Hold the breath out for a count of four (optional).
- Repeat this cycle for several minutes.
Benefits: Box breathing is known for its ability to increase concentration and soothe the nervous system. It’s a lovely way to increase focus and prepare for a meditative state.
Adding Breathwork Into Your Meditation Routine
Ready to add breathwork to your meditation routine? Here’s a simple guide:
- Start with Breathwork: Choose one technique above and spend 5-10 minutes on it before beginning your meditation. It will help calm your mind and ground your energy.
- Transition Gently: After finishing your breathwork, let your focus shift naturally to your meditation practice. Whether you prefer mindfulness, mantra, or visual meditation, you’ll find your mind is more open and settled.
- End with Stillness: Once you finish, sit in quiet stillness. Notice the effects of your practice and let your mind settle. This moment of silence can feel like the true gift of your meditation.
Adding breathwork to your meditation can be a powerful way to deepen your connection with yourself. These techniques are simple enough for beginners and rewarding enough for seasoned meditators. Try them out and see how they bring you into a state of peace and clarity, helping you feel more refreshed and fulfilled in each session.
Ready to deepen your meditation with breathwork? Reach out and let me help.
Take a few moments each day to try one of these breathwork techniques, and let yourself experience the calming magic they can bring to your practice. Whether you’re a beginner or want to improve your meditation, breathwork can help you achieve a deeper experience. Give it a go and let me know how it feels—your journey to inner calm and clarity is just a breath away!