Y4PS Breath Practice Three: Dirga Pranayama

One of the most common forms of breathing practiced in hatha yoga classes is called Dirga Pranayama, or three-part breath. The three areas we’ll focus on as we breathe are the belly, the ribs, and the collarbones.

Prepare

1. Sit in any comfortable, upright posture on a chair or the floor
2. Lift the crown of your head a little bit to ensure that your spine is long
3. Rest your hands comfortably on your lap, palms up or down
4. Before you practice each technique, take a “falling out” breath: a single full inhale through the nose, followed by a relaxing siiiiiiiigh out through the mouth  
5. As you sigh out the breath, relax anywhere in your body where you feel excess effort or tension 

Technique 3: Dirga Pranayama Breath

One of the most common forms of breathing practiced in hatha yoga classes is called Dirga Pranayama, or three-part breath. The three areas we’ll focus on as we breathe are the belly, the ribs, and the collarbones.

Read these instructions below fully on how to master the Dirga Pranayama Breath technique, and then practice.

1. Breathing in and out through your nose if possible (adjust if needed), inhale, feeling your belly expand first, then your ribs, then all the way up to your collarbones – as if you were inflating a pillow (in this case your torso) from the bottom up

2.  Taking your time as you exhale, reverse the order, feeling collarbones, ribs, and then belly deflating and relaxing

3. Continue to breathe in this manner for three to five minutes, keeping your focus on the breath (if you find your mind wandering, gently re-focus on the breath)

4. Return to breathing normally and notice how you feel in your body and mind

Y4PS Breath Technique 3: Dirga Pranayama Journal Questions

1. What did you notice about this Dirga Pranayama practice?

2.  What did you feel in your body/mind before the practice? After the practice?