Movement Snack: 360-degree Breathing
November 17 2022 | Written by Leticia Padmasri
This movement snack not only gets many parts of us moving but also has a great positive impact on our minds.
360-degree breathing allows us to move our torso IN ALL DIRECTIONS!
This means that it's not just the front of the body (chest and belly) expanding, but also the side ribs and back are going to expand.
It's very important to note that this is NOT a forceful movement. It's meant to be natural.
Next time you are around a baby or a toddler at rest, watch them breathing. You'll see their belly, sides, and back moving a little bit. This is an inherent way of breathing that we often forget because of stress, poor posture, too much sitting… These factors give us a shallow breath and our thoracic spine becomes stiff.
When we breathe in a 360-degree fashion, our thoracic spinal joints, and rib cage expand and contract with each breath.
When this movement isn’t happening, the joints have less opportunity to move.
360-degree
breathing allows us
to move our torso
IN ALL DIRECTIONS!
Taking Ayurveda to the Mat
States of fear and anxiety make our breathing shallow and our belly tense, which affects the work of the diaphragm.
The diaphragm is responsible for the change of shape of our thoracic cavity. It contracts downwards, pushing the organs down and allowing space for the lungs to pull in oxygen.
Ayurveda explains that fear and anxiety are expressions of excess vata dosha in the mind. When vata in our mind is balanced, we experience joy, creativity, strong healing energy, and deeper spiritual connection. When vata is accumulated in the mind, it manifests as restlessness, fear, anxiety, and nervousness.
During the fall and winter months, vata is increased in the environment and so it is increased in us.
This 360-degree breathing practice is a valuable tool to reduce stress and anxiety, keeping vata energy balanced in our minds.
This movement snack explores 360-degree breathing with the aid of a strap (you can also use a resistance band, a belt, or something similar). For many of us, sensing the back of the body and even the sides doesn’t come so easily. The brain connection to that area is fuzzy because of the factors I mentioned above… The strap is a great tool to begin creating the link. It will give you some sensory feedback, which will increase your awareness of the expansion of the side ribs and back of the body when you breathe.