June News from Barb Mallon

Breathing Techniques to Help in Going into Altered States

Breathwork is a wonderful tool in activating and heightening our inner awareness and raising our vibrational levels. It can be used to start our meditations, be our "light switch" to activate our abilities before readings, and it also helps to find clarity during those "stuck" times in sessions.

Below are a few of my favorite techniques! Unless you meditate right before bed, or just as you're getting up in the am, I would suggest doing these techniques sitting up so you don't fall asleep. ☺ Enjoy!

Belly/Diaphragm Breathing

This is wonderful for relaxation, but can be done in meditation or anytime as well. Sit in a relaxed position, and place your hands on your stomach. Using your stomach breathe in slowly through your nose and "fill up" your stomach area. If you're doing it correctly, your belly will expand, and you'll feel it with your hands. Breathe out slowly through your nose expelling all of the air. Breathe in and out about 5 times if possible. Do not over do it. If you feel dizzy, relax and breathe normally.

"OMing"

"Om" is the most sacred symbol in Hinduism. Om represents prana, which is the Sanskrit word for "breath/energy". Vibrating your vocal chords with this type of controlled breathing activates your throat chakra, which also elevates your energy levels, so it's an energy raising technique as well. Personally, this type of breathing helps me with raising my vibrational level before mediumistic sittings.

You do not need many of these breaths. Start with 3 and see how you feel. As with the pranic breathing below, stay at a comfortable level for YOU. If you feel dizzy, you may be doing too much. If this feels to be the case, cut back a bit to a more comfortable level.

The vibrations created by chanting Om touch our inner self. The inner self is considered to be pure - the Divine spark, and realizing our own Divine spark can help free us of worldly ties and bring joy to our lives.

For the best results make sure you are sitting upright and comfortable enough so that you do not fall asleep.

This is just one technique in "Om breathing". Focus on your third-eye chakra/brow chakra, which is located at the center of your forehead, the region between your eyebrows. This is the location of the pineal gland as well. Breathe in deeply and steadily in through your nose and then breathe out steadily and slowly through your mouth vibrating your vocal chords by saying the word "OM" as you exhale . The emphasis should be on giving equal importance to both halves of the word, 'Oooommmm'.

Sometimes if you change your pitch, it helps activate certain chakras, i.e., low pitches may activate your root/physical chakra, high pitches may activate your brow or crown chakra, mid-level can activate your heart chakra. Work with this to see what works best for you.

Pranic Breathing

Prana stands for the life force, energy, and it is involved in physical, mental and spiritual health and strength. This is the ultimate in controlled breathing and has many benefits.

One benefit (for all of you who have difficulty turning off thoughts during meditation) is that it helps with mind chatter. When you do pranic breathing, you are giving your left analytical brain something to do and focus on! The counting as shown below, distracts your brain, yet keeps it busy and also keeps the rhythm of the breath work. This can be done in public as well (say, on an airplane if you're a nervous flyer!), is less intrusive than the "Om" breathing and is very effective.

Breathe in through your nose in a slow steady stream to the count of four, and then pause briefly. Then, exhale slowly and steadily to the count of four, and pause again. Repeat the process a few times to get into an altered state, and also if perhaps the mind chatter starts again. Take your time and don't over do it, as you may get dizzy. Start at two or three cycles, and build up to more. The point of this exercise is to feel comfortable and keep control of your breath.

This breathing technique deeply relaxes you and de-stresses as well.

-Barb Mallon

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