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Cleansing Breath

Cleansing breaths are used as part of many, if not most meditative practices, and are also a helpful tool on their own.
The full, forceful exhale helps to more fully release carbon dioxide, which both makes less toxins for your liver and kidneys to have to process, and allows room for more oxygen. The deep inhale brings that additional oxygen in. This, in turn, improves immunity and overall health, as fully oxygenated blood carries and absorbs nutrients and vitamins more efficiently, and cleaner blood is a less hospitable environment for illness causing bacteria and viruses. More oxygen in the blood also increases energy and stamina, due to the more efficiently working system.
All that, just from a few deep breaths!

This quick exercise will teach you how to properly take cleansing breaths, so you can use them, and all your other breathing practices to their fullest potential.

The more you do this practice, the more your lung capacity will expand, and the more you will reap all the benefits described above.

As with all the practices found on this site, you should read all the way through this page at least once before you try to do the meditation.

Before you start:

• This doesn't really require any deep, meditative state, but it still may help to turn off unnecessary, extra noise generating items, such as the radio or television, and use headphones for the guided meditation track, especially if you are very new to meditative practices

• It is VERY important to do this exercise sitting (preferably on the floor) or lying down. If you do sit on a chair, rather than the floor, put another chair or something else that you can use to steady yourself right in front of you, even if that means turning the chair toward a wall and scooting up close to it.

• It is also best to have a bottle of drinking water at hand. You can hold it during the practice or have it right within reach without having to search or stretch to get to it, even with your eyes closed.

• you should start the guided meditation track at this point, after you have read through this page once (or re-start it, if you have paused it to read this page).

• Even though this exercise is specifically for teaching cleansing breaths, we will still start out with some mindful breathing, before practicing the cleansing breaths, because I feel that is always the best way to start any meditation or exercise. Or day. Or... well, pretty much anything!

• If you have done this meditation before, and do not need the introductory instructions on the track, feel free to use the no intro version.

Now, you are ready to begin...

The guided meditation track uses a chime to begin this meditation, as do most of the meditations in this series. Eventually, you may find that the chime sound alone is enough to put you into a meditative state.

• Begin by simply focusing on your breath for a moment, counting each breath and and observing your natural inhalation and exhalation without changing anything. Notice whether you are breathing through your nose or your mouth, quickly or slowly, deep or shallow breaths.
If you find yourself becoming distracted by random thoughts, try not to engage in them. Just notice them and then let them go, bringing your attention back to your breath. Do this for five breaths.

• Now, take in a deep, deep breath, through your nose. Bring as much air in as you can, filling your lungs full, from bottom to top. Now, purse your lips and blow all the air out through them in a big woosh, like you're trying to blow out your great, great grandparent's birthday candles. Try to push out every last bit of air in your lungs on the outbreath.

• Now lets do it again. Super deep breath in through the nose. This one should be easier than the last one, because you have exhaled more fully than usual. Breathe in just a little bit more. There really is room, I promise. And blow it all out again. See if you can get even more air out on the exhale this time.

• We'll spend a moment just breathing normally now, before we go back to cleansing breaths. Once you are more accustomed to this exercise, you'll be able to take more and more cleansing breaths in a row without any issues, but it is best to start out slowly.

• Okay, take in another giant breath through your nose, sending the air as far down into your lungs as you can - all the way down to your diaphragm - and filling your lungs until it feels like they can't hold any more. And now breath in a little more. You can do it! Hold for a second... Remember to purse your lips now, and whoosh it out in a great gust. Once your lungs feel empty... you know what I am about to say. That's right, push out a little bit more. It's in there. Really!

• And another huge inbreath. The biggest one ever. Every time you do this, you expand your lungs' capacity just a tiny bit more. Get that last, extra bit of breath in there. Hold one second. Blow it all out. All of it. That last piece too!

• Next inhale. Try to match or surpass the last one. In - in - in... Hold... And expel it all in another forceful exhale. Out until it seems like it's all out. And then blow out a little more.

• Now back to a few regular breaths again. Just focus on your breath as it wants to be in this moment, before we do three more cleansing breaths in a row. If you feel a little lightheaded, that's ok. Just take slow, even breaths, and have a sip or two of water. Don't gulp, but take as many sips as you need. Remember to keep breathing.

• OK, here we go. We're going to take three more cleansing breaths in a row. You know what you're doing now, so lets start with a giant inhale. Completely fill your lungs and then some. Hold. Blow it out.

• Next inhale. Full breath in, in, and in. Hold. And blow it out. Every last speck. Empty your lungs completely.

• And last inhale. Huge inhale. Hold. And Blow it all out.

• Ok! Great job. Now we'll take some nice, even calming breaths. Slow, steady, comfortable inhales and exhales through your nose. Inhale... Exhale. Keep going until you're ready to let your breath just go back to whatever feels natural, and then just observe your breath for a few moments. Soon, you'll be getting back to your day, with your blood more fully oxygenated and mind cleared, energised, and ready to face anything!

• Whenever You are ready, allow your focus to expand to your surroundings, open your eyes, and look around, stretch, readjust. When you feel ready to stand up, do so slowly and carefully. Your body might not be used to having this much oxygen to work with, and it can make some people feel a little "high" at first.

• Remember, you can take a cleansing breath or two anytime you need to gain some calm, clarity, a mental "reset", or are just feeling overwhelmed. They work best when you follow them with a few calming and/or mindful breaths.

~ 🎼 🎶 🎶 🎶 ~ The guided meditation track, itself, is protected under copyright and may not be reused without express consent. Backing tracks, arranged by Khaos WolfKat, include Relax your mind, composed by Stefan Ruesche provided by Copyright Free Music by Ruesche-Sounds under a Creative Commons License. See links for additional reuse information.
~ 🎼 🎶 🎶 🎶 ~