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Your left hand should not move with the breath. Try to feel the expansion and contraction of the lungs by means of the breath. Continue for a few minutes, until you feel that only the diaphragm is moving with the breathing process.
Controlled abdominal breathing
Lie in shavasana and relax the whole physical body. You may place one hand on the abdomen, above the navel, if you wish. Begin abdominal breathing and feel the abdomen moving up and down. At the same time, the abdominal and chest muscles should remain totally relaxed. Breathe out slowly and completely, using the diaphragm. Feel that the movement of the diaphragm is responsible for the abdominal movement. As you breathe out, feel the abdomen and navel moving inward towards the spine. At the end of exhalation, the diaphragm will be totally relaxed, arching upward into the chest cavity without any contraction of the abdominal muscles. Hold the breath out, without any strain, for a second or so. Breathe in slowly and deeply from the diaphragm. Try not to expand the chest or move the shoulders Feel the abdomen expanding and the navel rising. Fill the lower lobes of the lungs as much as possible, without expanding the ribcage. Hold the breath in, without effort, for a second or two. Then, with control, exhale slowly and completely, pushing all the air out of the lungs. Again feel the navel moving toward the spine. At the end of exhalation the abdomen will be relaxed, the navel depressed toward the spine. Hold the breath out for a short time, then inhale. Repeat the whole process. Continue the practice for 50 breaths or up to 10 minutes.
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