Breathing with Syd: The Pursed Lip Breath

For this month’s practice we are going to do a “Pursed Lip Breath.” It is a variation of the Sitali Breath technique whose roots are in Pranayama or Ayurvedic traditions. It’s known to cool the system when heated and I know for myself around the holidays I can feel heated/nervous in moments. This can also be messages from the body telling us we are on our way to a place of discomfort and that perhaps our boundaries are being crossed. We can use the body as a guide as far as what we are comfortable and uncomfortable with. If we start to feel nervous or anxious, we can practice this breath technique and gain clarity on our next steps. 

The way to do this Pursed Lip technique is to tuck the lips into the mouth and breath in. It doesn’t need to be long or deep; however we want the exhale to be longer than the inhale. Here we are focusing on noticing the breath. Feel as it travels through the lips – hits the back of the throat and then exhales out the nose. It’s great to practice this anywhere from 1 – 3 minutes and if you feel up for it, try to do it a few times a day for long term anxiety support.  

When you’re done, notice how you feel, take a quick reflection and use that as a starting point to set those boundaries. Lots of love this holiday season, Syd.

Syd Pursed Lips.mp4 from Tampa Bay Thrives on Vimeo.