Three Centers Breathing Practice

Practice this simple breathing exercise in the morning before starting your day, or in the evening before bed.

Use this exercise as a way to prepare the mind and body for meditation.

Find a comfortable seat on the ground or in a chair.

Support the spine with pillows or a wall, or sit tall and lengthen the spine.

With the eyes closed, begin to breathe deeply and naturally through the nose, establishing a slow, steady rhythm.

In your mind’s eye, imagine a sun-like sphere resting in the bowl of your pelvis – hovering low in the body right behind the navel.  This sphere is a small ball of light, much like the sun and it floats above the pelvic floor.

As you inhale, this ball of light expands and emits light into the whole lower body – the belly, low back and pelvic region.  With each exhale, envision the light drawing back into the ball.

With each breath – inhale: the ball of light expands, exhale: the ball of light retracts.

Take ten breaths here – envision the expansion and contraction of this sphere and feel the light and energy you are creating in the lower body growing more powerful with each breath.

Now envision a second sphere of light floating in your heart space.

Every inhale this ball of light expands and brings space and energy into the whole upper body – the rib cage, upper back and heart – all lighting up with each breath in.  Feel the light draw back into the sphere with each breath out.  Create a steady pulsation with the light and rhythm of your breath.

Take ten or more breaths into the heart space.

Moving up into the head space – envision a third sphere floating in the center of the skull.

Creating big, bright expansion with each inhale, and feel the light retract with each exhale.

Continue the rhythm and pulsation now in the skull for at least 10 breaths.

Finally, try to get a sense of all three spheres at once.

One floating in the pelvis, a second suspended behind the heart, and a third centered in the skull.

With each inhale feel a collective expansion of light in each of your three centers.

With each exhale feel the light draw back into it’s core in each of your three centers.

Take at least 10 more breaths here –

feel your whole body come alive with light and energy with each full breath in and full breath out.

Take a few moments just to breathe normally and if you have time take a few minutes to rest in Savasana.

Photo by Erin Kate Gouveia