Breathe Like A Baby

In our “Intro to Zen” class, we teach three basic techniques that can help students in their Zen journey: breath, posture and frame of mind. Combined together, these help them begin to quiet their bodies, which in turn quiets their minds. In this state of stillness, they can then experience a deeper sense of being one with the universe, or what we call samadhi.  

In the course of the training, students learn how to breathe correctly, that is, from their hara, which is in the abdominal area, about two inches below the navel. This is the psycho-physical center of the body. Breathing in this way is not just for meditation or martial arts. Rather, it is something to do 24-7 in order to be more centered, stronger and clearer.

Though breathing from the hara may initially feel unnatural, it actually is the natural way to breathe. This is the way we were meant to breathe.

We have a prime example of how to do this: all you have to do is look at a baby. When a baby breathes, its abdomen moves up and down and yet remains relaxed through each inhale and exhale.  (By the way, this is the “secret” to how babies can cry so loudly for such prolonged periods of time!)

When we were babies, that is how we all breathed. As we grew older, however, we accumulated habits such as having poor posture and holding tension in our neck and shoulders. We felt the weighty demands of life and then felt anger, sadness and anxiety. Our bodies thus became tighter, and our breath moved from our abdomen up to our chest. Now, our adult exhale can be so shallow that toxins, such as carbon dioxide, cannot be totally eliminated; this just adds to feelings of unease.

My first meditation teacher described how breathing from the hara can feel: Inhale the entire universe and exhale through your big toe into the center of the universe. That is how big and how centered we should be.  

By breathing in this way, we can begin to realize who we truly are: We are the Universe!

As you breathe from your hara, you give your mind a chance to quiet down. As one of my teachers once said: “Have your breathing be louder than your mind.” So, inhale and exhale – and do it just like a baby.