The Bodywork Perspective –
10 Step Breathing Exercise - page 8

1.

Open your eyes wide on the in breath and scrunch eyes shut on the out breath. Repeat 10 times.

2.

Open and close your mouth to find your jaw hinges. Press on both sides of your jaw.

Place your fingers on your jaw hinges and massage firmly, while taking 10 breaths.

3.

Find the place where the back of your neck attaches to your skull (the occipital indentations.)

Place your thumbs deeply into the occipital indentations – massage firmly, while taking 10 breaths.

4.

Find your collarbones. Using your thumbs on the top side of the collar bone, press in and massage at the centre of each collar bone, while taking 10 breaths.

5.

Find your sternum (breast bone - orange above), using the fingers of both hands. Slide your fingers outward. You'll feel your ribs. At the point where the ribs connect to the sternum, insert your fingertips into the intercostals spaces, (the spaces between the ribs - red above and below.)

Insert your fingertips into the intercostal spaces (the red points on the illustration) on both sides of the breast-bone. Massage firmly.

The breath pattern changes for this position only. Take 2 sharp in breaths, and then exhale fully. Repeat 10 times.

6.

Raise your arms straight up on the in breath, let them fall to your side slowly on the out breath.
Repeat 10 times.

7.

Rub your belly in a circular, clockwise direction, preferably inside your clothes, while taking 10 breaths.

8.

Go easy with this one! Don't overextend!
Scoot your heels closer to your butt. Push your back up into the yoga BRIDGE position and hold it, while taking 10 breaths.

9.

Return to the normal breathing position. Again, under your clothing, find the top edge of your pubic bone, and massage in a clockwise direction, while taking 10 breaths.

10.

Allow your ankle bones and knees to touch. Press your legs inward (hard!) while taking 10 breaths, then let your knees flop wide open.