Five breaths before sleep
Afsha
Breathing is part of hatha, not the rest between postures. Five to try tonight.
Breath one
Make the exhale two counts longer
Sit tall, both feet on the floor. Inhale for 4. Exhale for 6. Repeat 10 rounds. Shoulders stay still, belly draws in.
Breath two
Pause after each slow inhale
Rest one hand below the navel. Inhale for 4. Pause for 2. Exhale for 4. Pause for 2. Do 8 rounds. Keep the jaw loose.
Breath three
Change the side of each inhale
Thumb closes the right nostril. Inhale left for 4. Close the left, exhale right for 4. Change sides. Do 6 rounds.
Breath four
Hum through the whole exhale
Close the lips. Inhale through the nose for 4. Hum low on the exhale for 6, and feel it in the chest. Repeat 8 times.
Breath five
Fill the low ribs before the chest
Place both palms on the low ribs. Inhale for 5 and feel them widen, then exhale for 5. Take 10 slow breaths.
The breath needs more time
Afsha’s class is in Al Weibdeh. The posture is held and the breath is counted, one detail at a time.