Have a Buddha Belly

Do not fear the belly. Love the belly. Let your body breathe into it, let it expand and contract on the ever changing waves of breath, without forcing anything. Don't get too hung up on always taking "deep" breaths, but allow the air to flow all the way out before the next wave comes in. Maybe there is a little or long pause between the outbreath and inbreath, maybe not. Maybe you can feel the sides and back of your body, or the floor of your pelvis, moving a little with your breath.

The way that our bodies work, this actually gives our abdominal muscles a little workout. They naturally relax before an inbreath if they are allowed to, and then they contract to help you exhale. It doesn't make you fat, or unhealthy; these thoughts are just useless societal debris. On the other hand, it helps relax the whole body, and makes breathing more efficient.

Your chest (and neck) muscles are your backup system for breathing. They are best used when you need to move a lot of air, but they are inefficient and contribute to stress if used for long periods. Letting your belly move allows the powerful and efficient diaphram to sink down into your core, dragging your lungs open (and giving your chest organs a little massage). As you breathe out, your diaphragm passively rises, like a rubber band returning to an unstretched position.

There are many good reasons that arts like yoga, karate, Zen meditation, and tai chi emphasize abdominal breath. And there are many variations of breath practices, which you can go into with the help of a teacher or a good book. The simple practice of allowing breath to occur easily and naturally is something you can do anywhere to bring your body into a relaxed, alert state, benefiting your digestion, circulatory and nervous systems, and overall health. Enjoy!