On Breath Awareness
Beyond history and theory, science and exploration, and even intention and technique, lies the breath. In most cases, with the exception of various illnesses, it happens naturally and effortlessly for as long as we are alive. Though it might seem free of intention or effort, the breath is always affected by everything within us and around us, whether or not we are conscious of this. Here, we aim to cultivate a deeper awareness of the breath, with breath awareness serving as both the foundation and the space for the journey ahead: as a foundation, it marks the first step of all pranayama practices; as a space, it embodies an expanded and more subtle awareness, opening the way to explore whatever arises in the practice itself.
Breath awareness is a nuanced practice that invites us to develop a profound and holistic experience in the act of breathing. It is not merely about observing the breath as an isolated phenomenon but involves cultivating an intricate, loving, embodied presence that encompasses the entire landscape of bodily, mental, and emotional experiences reverberating around and through the breath. At its core, breath awareness begins with anchoring our attention to the breath, revealing it as a beautiful and dynamic process of the bodymind in relationship with the environment.
Breathing serves as a powerful bridge between unconscious physiological mechanisms and conscious awareness, providing insight into our current state and conditions of well-being. In breath awareness, we are both optimizing the conditions for refined pranayama practice and engaging in a practice that is integral to pranayama itself. First, breath awareness serves as a further preparatory practice, helping to optimize the conditions for refined pranayama. By cultivating focus, a harmonious embodied state where the bodymind feels unified, stable, and open to the breath, and sensitivity to the breath, we create the foundation for engaging in pranayama techniques with greater precision, more subtle awareness, and clearer intention.
Second, breath awareness is not merely a preparatory tool but an integral part of pranayama itself. The mindful observation and experience of the breath are essential components of pranayama, as these practices involve a deep awareness of the breath’s rhythm, depth, and physiological and energetic effects. This dual role of breath awareness–as both preparation and a fundamental element–signifies its vital place within the broader realm of pranayama.
At the physical level, breath awareness involves noticing the mechanics of the respiratory system. This includes observing the diaphragm’s rhythmic contraction and relaxation, the expansion and contraction of the ribcage, and the airflow through the nostrils, mouth, and throat. These sensations provide a direct physical experience that grounds us in the present moment. Attention extends to the engagement of the intercostal and abdominal muscles, as well as the accessory muscles of the neck and shoulders during deep or labored breathing. Posture becomes relevant as we observe how alignment affects the ease or restriction of breath flow, offering a deeper experiential understanding of how the structures of the bodymind–our living, breathing tissues–influence respiratory action, movement, and efficiency.
Breath awareness manifests through the interoceptive field–the realm of internal bodily sensations. The quality of our interoception, or our perception of internal states, is tremendously enhanced through the breath. This involves noticing the relative coolness of air entering the nostrils and the warmth of air exiting, as well as the gentle pressure changes in our abdomen, chest, and back as our lungs fill and empty. The rhythm, cadence, depth, and volume of the breath provide a sensory-rich experience that reveals the variability and cyclical nature of breathing. As these qualities of awareness deepen, we can more easily discern whether the breath is shallow or deep, and whether it brings sensations of fullness or constriction, offering clues about how we inhabit and animate our bodyminds moment by conscious moment.
Breathing is deeply tied to our nervous system and emotional states, making breath awareness an exploration of the subtle energetic and emotional shifts that accompany the breath. Nervous energy often manifests in the breath, with rapid, shallow breaths correlating with anxiety and slow, deep breaths promoting calmness. Emotions such as joy, sadness, frustration, and fear create distinct breathing patterns, and observing these patterns helps us understand the interplay between our emotions and breath. This awareness also allows us to recognize how conscious breathing can regulate emotional states and modulate our autonomic nervous system.
Breath awareness further reveals the relationship between the breath and movement or stillness. As we move, the breath adjusts to meet the bodymind’s needs, and observing this during physical activities such as asana practices (or walking, or any other activity) integrates breathing with movement, fostering greater coordination and presence. Conversely, in moving into stillness, the subtleties of the breath become more apparent. Micro-movements caused by breathing further anchor us in the present moment, providing a meditative focus that reveals the profound simplicity of the act of breathing–offering deeper insight into the nature of our breathing in the moment and serving as a clearer mirror onto ourselves.
Breath awareness extends to noticing the effects of breathing on the wholeness of our bodymind. Physiologically, breathing affects heart rate, muscle tension, and energy levels, such as when slow, deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes relaxation. Mentally, observing the breath sharpens focus, regulates attention, and creates clarity, allowing it to act as a stabilizing force during moments of distraction or stress. Conscious breathing becomes a tool for self-awareness and self-cultivation, enabling us to shift between states of heightened arousal and calmness as needed or desired. This applies even–or perhaps especially–amid strenuous activity when the demands for releasing carbon dioxide and bringing in oxygen increase. In developing breath awareness while relatively still we enhance our breath awareness when the demands are greater, empowering us to better modulate the breath and thereby maintain energetic balance.
At the heart of breath awareness is an intimate relationship with the raw sensations of the breath itself. This includes feeling the breath move through our airways, noticing the tickling of air in our nose, or experiencing the stretching sensation in our chest and a sense of breathing our heart more open. Attention to these sensations fosters a connection to the present moment and reveals the transient yet embodied and remembered nature of experience. Over time, this awareness can deepen into a sense of inhabiting the breathing bodymind as a whole, integrating the breath into an embodied sense of being.
