This is the best Somatic Breathing Exercise I know. It is simple, and yet it may challenge your ability to prioritize feeling and sensing over doing. To feel and sense means we are open to our experience instead of trying to control it. So, why I say this is the best exercise is because it necessitates feeling and sensing over doing.
Most Breathing Exercises are not strictly somatic. You may feel more relaxed or regulated but how you arrive there is different.
This Somatic Breathing Exercise will allow your breath to regulate itself.
I call this The Best Somatic Movement Breath exercise I know because it allows you to liberate an easy, natural, felt breath with little to no effort. There is so much instruction on right breathing, we easily forget our bodies know how to breathe. With a little support, the body breathes itself.
The Best Somatic Movement Breathing Exercise Explained
Find a place to sit comfortably. Ideally, you will be sitting up without slouching. But, also without straining. If you need to, you can do this lying down.
Observe your breathing. Can you notice it without trying to change it? Can you notice it without judging it? You may notice where it moves your body, what the length of your inhale and exhale are or just how it moves in and out.
Start by paying attention to your exhalation. It is a bit easier if you feel it come out of your lips at first. Can you notice when your exhale ends?
When practicing breathing, we often jump ahead and tell ourselves it’s time to inhale as soon as we seem done with exhaling. But do you really want to inhale? A little time may pass, and your body will automatically inhale without your prompting. You may find yourself experiencing a pause between exhalation and inhalation. But don’t try to make it happen. It’s possible your body will lead the way!
After a time, start paying attention to your inhalation. Are you trying ot control its length? Heart rate variability is a good thing. Slight variations in your breathing show resilience.
Can you imagine your inhalation like a wave cresting? Each waveis a bit different from the one before or after it. Sometimes, it even seems as if the wave is suspended at its height before it comes to shore. Do you find any suspension at the end of your inhalation?
Now, bring the inhalation and exhalation together. Perhaps, you notice your breathing becomes easier, deeper and involves less effort!
Somatic Breathing Resources
This is just an exercise, or rather, exploration, to jump-start you as a somatic breather! – If you are ready to jump into this journey, I recommend my Online Conscious Breathwork Course. Designed to be foundational, comprehensive, home study-friendly, and easy to use, it will provide the basics of breathing for respiratory, digestive, and blood pressure health. The course also assists with snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, and mental clarity. Learn more
If you’d like more personalized guidance, you can also explore my breath coaching services.
I also have several free Somatic Breathing exercises on my media page – scroll down and click on breathing.
Embodiment, Media, Somatic Breathing, Somatic Movement, Yoga Therapy