Three Levels of Breathing
When it helps
When you notice your breath has become shallow in everyday life, or you feel stuck after a stressful period – this exercise helps you gently reopen your full breathing volume. Depth here doesn't come through effort, but through a clear structure. By consciously connecting all three breathing spaces, you give your body more oxygen and your mind a signal of calm and spaciousness.
How to practice
- Preparation: Sit up straight and relaxed. Let your shoulders grow heavy and your neck soft. To feel the breath movement more clearly, place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.
- The first level (belly): Breathe calmly in through your nose. Direct the breath first deep down into your belly space. Feel how your belly gently domes outward until the space beneath your lower hand feels full.
- The second level (chest): Continue inhaling in the same breath. Now feel how your ribcage widens and the ribs gently expand outward.
- The third level (collarbone): Finally fill the uppermost area of your lungs, just below the collarbones. Make sure your shoulders remain relaxed and don't rise upward. Your entire upper body is now gently filled with breath.
- Exhale fluidly: Let the breath flow out slowly and in a controlled way – in reverse order: first the upper chest area sinks, then the ribcage, and lastly the belly gently draws back.
- Repeat: Go through 6 to 10 of these complete breaths. After the practice, check in briefly: Does your breathing space feel a little more open or free now?
- Your focus for today: When you feel 'stuck' at your desk or on the go today, take just one single conscious breath through all three levels. Feel how that alone can relieve pressure.
Note: Don't force the depth. It's not about maximum filling, but about consciously experiencing the movement. Your body finds its own rhythm when you give it your attention.