A wonderful way to release tension and stress, teaching a way to control emotions. Helping health, encourages deeper breathing and clears the mind.

Complete Breath

Sitting straight, standing or lying flat when possible. Begin by expanding the abdomen and breathing into the lower lungs.
Continue filling the middle lungs, expanding your lower ribs the middle ribs then lifting the upper ribs, expand the upper
chest. Finally, to get that air into the lungs highest areas, contract the abdomen just a bit. Hold your breath for just
five seconds, no more. Finally, exhale through your nose slowly, again contracting your stomach muscles. Now, relax
all over. Breathe normally for a breath or two, and repeat the complete breath. Twice is good; daily, gradual increases
are beneficial.

Benefit: This is the technique you will probably use most often to combat the tensions and stress in your life. You can
use it anywhere. Any time to calm your mind and help quiet physical responses to stress – rapid heartbeat and breathing,
and tense muscles. Use this technique to centre yourself before your meditation and before asana practice to make
them even more effective.

Yogic Breath

Sit comfortably in a cross-legged position on the floor or lie flat on your back in the Corpse pose. Place a cushion under
the buttocks if you need more support when sitting on the floor. Hands may be relaxed by the sides or you can place
one hand on the abdomen to feel it rising and falling. Relax your mind and body. Inhale slowly and deeply through the
nose, feeling your abdomen expand and rise while keeping the chest still. As you exhale, feel the abdomen sink down.
Expand the abdomen on the inhale and contract the abdomen on the exhale. You would normally practice this
exercise for ten breaths (one inhalation and one exhalation equals one breath); however in a baby yoga class it is more
practical to do 3 breaths only.

Benefit: Breathing slowly and deeply brings air to the lowest part of your lungs and exercises your diaphragm which can
greatly enhance breathing capacity. It relaxes mind and body, massages internal organs, calms emotions and induces
restful sleep

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Using your right hand, close the right nostril with your thumb. Breathe in through the now close the left nostril with
the little finger and ring finger and release the thumb breathe out through the right nostril. Immediately breathe in
again through that same (right) nostril and exhale through the left. The pattern is: in left, out right, in right, out left (this
is one cycle). Repeat the cycle of breathing 4 times.

Benefits: Calms and balances the mind and body, aids relaxation, improves concentration, strengthens respiration,
help to relieve headaches and migraine.

Volcano Breath

The chest in prayer position, as you inhale a full breath raise the hands above the head then
explode the breath on an exhale making an explosion noise at the same time, part the hands in a circle and wriggle the
finger. This action starts slowly and ends quickly. Repeat 3 times in class.

Benefits: Regular practice of this technique is beneficial to the respiratory, digestive, circulatory and nervous system
and excellent stimulation for the baby.

Ujjayi Breath

Breathe in and out through the nose.

As you inhale and exhale keep your mouth closed, constrict your throat to the point that your breathing makes a rushing noise, almost like snoring, control your breath with your diaphragm. Keep your inhalations and exhalations equal in duration.

Benefits: Calming and balancing. Can assist you in synchronizing your movements with your breath. Improve concentration, release tension throughout the body, regulate heating and cooling of the body.

Humming Breath

Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed. Focus your attention inward to your breathing. Breathe in a long steady breath, while breathing out ‘hum’ gently and keep your jaw relaxed. Continue to hum on every exhalation and
allow the vibrations to spread to different areas of your face. Repeat for 4 breaths. This is a good breathing exercise to do
when practicing the Chakra’s on the baby. You can practice this breath with your fingers in your ears to help with focus,
concentration and calming.

Benefits: The sound created by this breathing exercise sounds like a humming bee. Humming creates a vibration in
your body that is soothing and nurturing. This exercise will calm your nerves and provide an overall sense of well-being
Note: When every day breathing you do not use the whole of the lung capacity, approximately a third of the lungs have stale
air left in until you practice the correct breathing techniques. This is one explanation for feeling lethargic or lacking in energy.
Correct breathing can refresh our bodies and help to give us more energy by replacing the stale air and sending fresh oxygen
to the cells.

Bear Breath

Rest and Balance

In winter bears hibernate in caves sleeping peacefully. This breath will allow a person to discover their own inner peace
and balance. Sitting tall shoulder back and down close the eyes and go inside. Breathing through the nose for a count of five
then hold the breath for a count of three. Breathing out for five then hold again for a count of three. Repeat five to seven
rounds. Opening the eyes notice the feeling.

Bunny Breath

Cleanses and Clears

Bunnies are very alert. This cleansing breath is used to stay awake and alert. Sitting on the shins with back straight
shoulders wide chest lifted. Keeping your chin down, take three big sniffs one after another. Exhale in a long release as
though you are sighing out through your nostrils. Repeat for 5-7 rounds. You should feel clear relaxed and alert upon
finishing.

Bumble Bee Breath

Relaxes and Soothes

Bees hum their days away visiting flowers and making honey.  As you hum think of what makes you happy! This can be done anywhere walking, working, playing or resting, take a breath in fully and as you breathe out hum like a bee. The face and lips should be soft so as to feel the vibrations. Repeat for as long as you like and experiment humming from high to low noticing the difference.

Snake Breath

Slow and Calm

When a snake is coiled and resting they look around calmly and when they move they are also slow and smooth. Sitting tall,
take a deep breath in, filling up the whole of the body. Pausing then breathing out slowly and smoothly making a hissing sound
for as long as you can. Repeat for 3-5 rounds feeling much slower and becoming calmer each time.

Relaxation Breath

Lying on the tummy with arms crossed in front to give a surface to rest your head on. Inhale slowly through the nose and out
through the mouth. Repeat 5 times and encourage parent/ carers close their eyes, focus and relax.

Benefits: Encouraging deeper breathing, lying on the front with chest unobstructed increases the lung capacity with a third
more oxygen

Breath of Tranquility

Sit cross-legged or kneel on the floor. Keep your torso straight and do not lean forward. Inhale slowly, keeping the
mouth closed and partially closing, or contracting, the back of your throat to slow down the breath exhale. This breath
will make a sound like the ocean. Repeat five times. As you get better at this, try to exhale for longer than you inhale.

Benefit: Increases lung capacity, opens the chest, relaxes the nervous system, increases oxygen in the blood, reduces
phlegm and strengthens the immune system.