Jan De Vries

Where does a newborn baby breathe? You will find that there is little movement of the chest and there is a rhythmic rise and fall slightly under the navel. As the child grows older and forms its own personality, this breathing pattern will change, usually rising from the navel upwards. Tense people tend to breathe high up in the chest and the same can be said for those suffering from asthma.

When working in a hospital I met a young doctor who performed more operations than any of her colleagues and still looked fresh and relaxed at the end of the day. She told me that her breathing technique was based on “Hara” and to this day I am grateful that I managed to take a short course in this method of correct breathing. There are obviously too many exercises to mention her but I would like to tell you about one, which I practise most days.

About four o’clock in the afternoon, the time I was born, I sometimes begin to feel a little tired. This, by the way, is an experience which many people feel as the time of their birth approaches. I lie on the floor when I feel tired and tell myself to relax completely. My eyes are closed and I tell every part of my body, from my head to toes, to relax until I feel as if I am sinking deeper and deeper into the floor. Then I place my left hand about half an inch beneath my navel and put the right hand over it. At that point, a magnetic ring on the vital centre of man – “Hare” – is formed. The Chinese have an old saying that the navel is the gate to all happiness and certainly, by doing this, one feels very relaxed. Next I breathe in slowly through my nose, filling my stomach with air and keeping the rib cage still. This sounds easier than it is and actually takes a little time to master properly.

Concentrate your mind on your stomach and breathe in slowly. Once the stomach is filled with air, round your lips and slowly breathe out pulling the stomach flat. This can be done as often as desired. Normally, the sensation after finishing this exercise is either one of complete relaxation and the desire for a nice sleep, or of refreshment and the desire to return to work. I must stress that it should be performed naturally, as a baby would do. Sometimes it helps to imagine yourself walking in a beautiful garden where you discover the wonderful scent of roses which you inhale slowly.

Deep breathing exercises are equally as important as physical exercise, and I often ask patients if they have ever taken the time to pay close attention to their breathing. Life and breathing are synonymous. Life is breath and the absence of it is death. Air is a most essential nourishment for our blood and therefore, breathing exercises are very important. As I have already said, the Hara Breathing technique is very important. The better and more effectively your breath, the quicker you achieve the necessary rhythmic breathing. Hara means breath – absolute energy and this is why breathing control exercises are so important.


		HARA BREATHING EXERCISES Where does a newborn baby breathe? You will find that there is little movement of the chest and there is a rhythmic rise and fall slightly under the navel. As the child grows older and forms its own personality, this breathing pattern will change, usually rising from the navel upwards. Tense people tend to breathe high up in the chest and the same can be said for those suffering from asthma. When working in a hospital I met a young doctor who performed more operations than any of her colleagues and still looked fresh and relaxed at the end of the day. She told me that her breathing technique was based on “Hara” and to this day I am grateful that I managed to take a short course in this method of correct breathing. There are obviously too many exercises to mention her but I would like to tell you about one, which I practise most days. About four o’clock in the afternoon, the time I was born, I sometimes begin to feel a little tired. This, by the way, is an experience which many people feel as the time of their birth approaches. I lie on the floor when I feel tired and tell myself to relax completely. My eyes are closed and I tell every part of my body, from my head to toes, to relax until I feel as if I am sinking deeper and deeper into the floor. Then I place my left hand about half an inch beneath my navel and put the right hand over it. At that point, a magnetic ring on the vital centre of man – “Hare” – is formed. The Chinese have an old saying that the navel is the gate to all happiness and certainly, by doing this, one feels very relaxed. Next I breathe in slowly through my nose, filling my stomach with air and keeping the rib cage still. This sounds easier than it is and actually takes a little time to master properly. Concentrate your mind on your stomach and breathe in slowly. Once the stomach is filled with air, round your lips and slowly breathe out pulling the stomach flat. This can be done as often as desired. Normally, the sensation after finishing this exercise is either one of complete relaxation and the desire for a nice sleep, or of refreshment and the desire to return to work. I must stress that it should be performed naturally, as a baby would do. Sometimes it helps to imagine yourself walking in a beautiful garden where you discover the wonderful scent of roses which you inhale slowly. Deep breathing exercises are equally as important as physical exercise, and I often ask patients if they have ever taken the time to pay close attention to their breathing. Life and breathing are synonymous. Life is breath and the absence of it is death. Air is a most essential nourishment for our blood and therefore, breathing exercises are very important. As I have already said, the Hara Breathing technique is very important. The better and more effectively your breath, the quicker you achieve the necessary rhythmic breathing. Hara means breath – absolute energy and this is why breathing control exercises are so important.