Breathing Room

Yoga allows you to pay attention to the breath—and brings greater awareness to the parts of the body that allow us to exhale and inhale fully.

By Julie Gudmestad

During quiet, relaxed breathing, however, no squeezing is necessary. As always, we use muscular energy to expand the lungs, but during relaxed exhalation the air is simply pushed out of the lungs by the elastic recoil of the rib cage. The abdominals, along with all the muscles of respiration, can release completely during a relaxed exhalation.

As you become more deeply relaxed and your breathing becomes quieter, see how little effort you can use on each inhalation. Let exhalations become virtually effortless, so that each one provides an opportunity to completely relax. Relaxed, open, and centered, you are now perfectly prepared to begin Savasana, pranayama, or meditation.

A licensed physical therapist and certified Iyengar Yoga teacher, Julie Gudmestad runs a private physical therapy practice and yoga studio in Portland, Oregon. She regrets that she cannot respond to correspondence or calls requesting personal health advice.

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