Breathwork and Mindfulness Techniques

Simple practices to calm the mind, support healing, and deepen your movement practice

Breath is our first movement. It’s the quiet rhythm that follows us through our entire lives, and yet it’s something most of us rarely pay attention to. In yoga — and in all mindful movement — breath becomes the bridge between the body and the mind, helping us soften tension, regulate stress, and reconnect with ourselves in a meaningful way.

Whether you’re practicing yoga, Tai Chi, or Qigong, breathwork and mindfulness are at the heart of healing. Here are simple, approachable ways to begin or deepen your practice today.

1. Start With Awareness

Before trying to change the breath, simply notice it.
Ask yourself:

• Is my breath shallow or deep?
• Am I breathing into my chest or my belly?
• Is my exhale longer than my inhale?
• Do I hold my breath when I move, stretch, or concentrate?

Awareness is the first step toward creating calm. When we notice the breath, we naturally soften, slow down, and become more present.

2. Breathwork: The Three Foundational Techniques

Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breath)
This is the most important breath for resetting the nervous system.

How to practice:

1. Relax your abdominal muscles.
2. Inhale gently through the nose, letting the belly rise.
3. Exhale slowly, letting the belly soften back down.

This breath activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the body’s “rest and restore” mode — reducing stress, tension, and anxiety.

Extended Exhale (Lengthening the Out-Breath)
A simple technique with a profound calming effect.

Try:

• Inhale for 4
• Exhale for 6

This lengthened exhale signals safety to the body, easing emotional overwhelm, lowering blood pressure, and helping you stay grounded.

3-Part Yogic Breath
A beautiful way to open the lungs and release tightness through the ribs and upper back.

Breathe into:

1. The belly
2. The ribcage
3. The chest

Then exhale slowly in the same order.
This creates expansion, mobility, and fullness in the breath — especially helpful for anyone with stress-related tension.

3. Mindfulness: Bringing Breath Into Movement

Breathwork becomes even more powerful when combined with gentle movement.

In Yoga:

• Breath leads the pose
• Movement follows the breath
• Each inhale lifts or expands
• Each exhale settles or releases

In Tai Chi and Qigong:

• Breath creates softness
• Movement becomes continuous
• The mind stays present through stillness in motion

Mindfulness doesn’t require silence or stillness — it simply requires paying attention.

4. How Breathwork Supports Emotional Healing

The breath is directly linked to the nervous system and emotional regulation.

Gentle breathing helps:

• reduce anxiety
• soften fear patterns
• release stored tension
• improve sleep
• clear mental fog
• brighten mood
• create a sense of safety in the body

So many students tell me their breath changes how they feel long before movement does — and that’s the magic of mindful breathing.

5. How Breathwork Supports Physical Healing

Breath and posture are deeply connected.

When breathing improves, so does:

• spinal alignment
• ribcage mobility
• core stability
• shoulder and neck tension
• energy levels
• joint comfort during movement

Breathwork prepares the body for yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, and everyday life.
It creates ease where the body has been holding, and calm where the mind has been bracing.

A Gentle Invitation

Breathwork and mindfulness don’t have to be complicated.
They don’t require long meditations or perfect poses.
Sometimes the most healing thing you can do is pause… and take one slow, intentional breath.

Whether you’re rolling out your yoga mat, stepping into a Tai Chi stance, or simply starting your day, your breath is your anchor — always available, always supportive, and always guiding you back to yourself.