If you are stressed and rushed off your feet then it is highly likely your breathing patterns reflect this and it is affecting your body. Shoulders become tight and rounded and we take shallower breaths when we are under stress. The muscles do not all get the oxygen they need.

To meditate properly it is important to remember to take full belly breaths, deep in to the abdomen. This way we ensure that we are getting the air to our lungs and filling them up.

Here is an example of the most simple breathing pattern, used in most meditation practices:

1. Sit up in the correct posture as explained on the previous page.
2. Inhalation - Breathe in through your nose in to your belly, allowing your belly to push outwards as you fill your lungs with air. Keep your shoulders relaxed.
3. Hold for a moment with the air inside your lungs. It can be helpful to imagine it reaching to every part of your body.
4. Exhalation - Breathe out through your mouth, allowing your belly to relax and deflate. Again, keep your shoulders relaxed and your body in the correct posture.
5. This basic breathing pattern will be repeated throughout your meditation practices. In some meditations you may find yourself being asked to focus on images or chants while you breathe. It is good to set up a foundation of good breathing practice before adding too many visuals in to the mix!