In today's fast-paced world, the pressure of stressful situations, stimuli, and other factors affecting the human condition is great. Perhaps that is why the gaze of interested researchers increasingly turns to the side of antiquity, trying to find there a universal remedy for all problems. One such panacea is square breathing, the benefits of which will be discussed in this article.
Samavritti pranayama
Almost all breathing exercises in the world are taken from one source: yoga. This great system has several branches of influence on the structure of man, as well as its transformation. One of these branches is Pranayama or breath control.
Various breathing techniques are used to bring a person into an altered state of consciousness, but some are designed to improve his physical and mental health. One of the basic such techniques is Samavritti-pranayama, which in the modern interpretation is called square breathing. Its powerful healing effect was familiar to people of antiquity, therefore, current adherents are trying to again introduce this technique to the masses.
The basis of the method
Square breathing is not so named. All stages of the process occurring in it are equal to each other, namely: inhalation, exhalation and pauses between them make up an equal time interval. For example: an inhalation lasts four seconds, then a pause with a retained volume of air in the lungs lasts the same amount, followed by an exhalation for four seconds and again a pause.
This is one cycle, which are repeated over and over in a single rhythm for at least eight minutes in a row. This technique of square breathing or Samavritti-pranayama is basic, it is with it that you need to start mastering, not forgetting the direct position of the spine at this moment.
Recommendations of specialists
Experienced yoga practitioners advise you not to rush and qualitatively master the initial stage of this pranayama so that there is no failure in the rhythm for a long time. Also, shortness of breath or heart palpitations should not occur, which is an indicator of incorrect practice and can lead to health problems. One of the main principles in mastering square breathing is “Hurry up slowly!” - indicates that it is important to pursue not the quantity, but the quality of the exercise.
Also, professionals recommend using a metronome or just a clock with an audible tick to count, to focus on the sound, while keeping eyes closed, allowing you to concentrate more on internal sensations. If pranayama is used in motion or it is not possible to use the sound of reference, then you should set the rhythm, mentally saying: “A thousand times, one thousand two, one thousand three” and so on.
Technique Improvement Stages
When the basic principle of the exercise is perfectly mastered, you can move on to deeper options that have several stages. Of course, it is better to master all types of pranayama under the guidance of a competent teacher, but if this is not possible, you can navigate by such a program of square breathing:
- Physical aspect: gradually increase the time interval of each stage of breathing, that is, take a breath for 6 seconds (respectively pause and exhale too), then eight and so on. If it turns out that the practitioner has reached the mark of 12 seconds, then he should switch to other types of breathing practices, this view has already been exhausted for him.
- The mental factor. Tracking what is happening inside the physical processes, sensations at the level of muscles and organs. A person enters this stage when he ceases to be too obsessed with the correct count, it becomes almost automatic, that is, it becomes a habit in literally three or four cycles of breathing. That is, the corner of consciousness will still count the required number of seconds, but it will be possible to realize something else besides them. Thus, the practitioner can observe the internal sensations during the pauses between inhalation and exhalation: a more subtle vision of the muscles, their enslavement in some places, contraction of the heart and much more will appear.
The most important stage
In the process of practicing square breathing, some in only two or three sessions will have a deeper understanding and the ability to track their emotional and mental state, or rather, how this breathing exercise affects him. All nervousness and panic attacks go away with each subsequent exhalation, as slowing down breathing and pauses between them automatically signal the nervous system to relax: slow down the heartbeat and brain activity due to the fact that the body begins to receive less oxygen. Therefore, Samavrtti-pranayama (sometimes unconsciously) is often used by many speakers, public figures, artists and simply overly sensitive people, for whom a sharp surge of emotions can be harmful.
The benefits of square breathing
If you collect all the useful qualities and areas of influence of pranayama on the human body, then we can highlight the following points:
- Eliminate stress of any kind.
- Normalization of blood pressure.
- Improvement of the gastrointestinal tract due to the quality of the diaphragm.
- Increased overall body resistance.
- Harmonization of the cerebral hemispheres.
- Filling a person’s structure with new, clean energy.
- If practiced daily, then immunity to diseases of an infectious nature appears.
- At times, concentration improves, which allows you to do maximum work in a short period of time.
It is possible to list all the advantages of using square breathing in everyday life for a long time, but it is important to understand that all of them will become apparent only with regular practice.
Can Samavritti Pranayama be harmful?
Like any other effect on the body, square breathing can bring not only benefits, but also harm, although this is rather difficult in this case. The only reason that the described breath can become harmful and even dangerous is the banal human rush and thirst for more. Not everyone understands that in any type of breathing technique, internal comfort and harmony of the body's work are in the first place, and not a numerical indicator in the form of seconds on holding the breath. It is this pitfall that inappropriate practitioners are breaking up about. Even the most basic quadratic breathing program for four counts can become most useful if it is done leisurely and efficiently, than using the time interval of 10 seconds and languishing from pressure in the chest and heart palpitations, which lets you know that the body is overloaded and suffering.
Special purpose
There are states of the psyche when a person is on the verge of collapse and hardly keeps himself from inadequate actions. In such cases, you can additionally use a graphic drawing (as in the photo) to maximize hold consciousness on a specific object, avoiding aggravation of the situation.
According to reviews, square breathing with visualization works flawlessly, and the process of sketching the direction of breathing will create an additional distracting maneuver for a person in a critical state of mind. When the first wave of emotional outburst subsides, you can try to close your eyes and focus only on the internal account - this will be an indicator that the method began to work.