Breathing Exercises to Quit Smoking

When I was a kid, people were always telling me to "take a deep breath." The football coach would admit that a pile-up of squirming, flailing bodies was a somewhat frightening sight. "But," he'd say, "take a deep breath and plunge in."

When my father taught me to dive, he said: "Take a deep breath, and jump right in." Many of my teachers used to say that, too. "Take a deep breath, and dive right in." And there I'd be, up to my ears in work.

As you know, a great many medical truths are to be found in folk sayings, and the value of a deep breath is one such truth. A deep breath gets additional oxygen into the lungs.

Not just one deep breath-but three deep breaths -constitute my substitute for smoking when I need a "concentration break." Yes, I admit it. Deep breaths aren't exciting. No one will ever write a popular song about "Six Deep Breaths in the Dark."

But . . . they are the magic that will enable you to live instead of exist. When coupled with the power of self-hypnosis, they'll be a source of energy.

One of the best ways of releasing these toxins is by means of exhaling while breathing. One funny fact is that most of do not breathe properly. Just take a look at the picture like this. With each breath that we take, we take in oxygen. This oxygen is carried by the blood to every cell of the body and every cell must indeed get enough oxygen not just to survive but to remain healthy as well. 

So it is imperative that we make an honest attempt to breathe properly. But first of course we have to make sure that we are breathing in unpolluted air. The time best for breathing exercises is early in the morning when the air is comparatively unpolluted. Now what you have to do is this. Again, sit comfortably so that there is no strain to any part of your body. It is not imperative that you close your eyes, but I have always noticed that the exercise works better when the eyes are closed.

When you're ready, what you have to do is to breathe in deeply and slowly, and feel the fresh air filling up your lungs until it just can’t take any more. Conjure up images of the air encircling throughout your body and reaching every cell, literally bathing it with oxygen. Of course it doesn’t happen that way but the image helps a lot. Then hold your breath for a few seconds and then very slowly exhale letting out all that foul air.

Again conjure up an image of all the toxins being released from your body. Every cell has become free of the burden it was carrying. Now pause for a second or two and again breathe in deeply, slowly letting your lungs fill up with all that good, clean, rejuvenating air. Repeat this exercise at least ten times and take your time for it taking care not to rush through. 

When you have done that part of the exercise it is time for the second part. Again sit with your eyes closed, but this time, keep one nostril closed with the help of your index finger. It is best to close the right nostril first and that too with your right index finger. Now breathe in deeply and slowly through your left nostril keeping the right nostril closed. When you have held air for a second or two, release your right nostril and breathe out through it.

While you are breathing out conjure up an image of all the toxins being released form your head and the brain especially. And as you breathe in conjure up images of the clean air circulating though out your brain freeing it of all the worries and trouble and lightening it.

Repeat this exercise with the other nostril closed and in this way alternate between the nostrils at least ten times. The entire breathing exercise need not take more than ten minutes. But you will be surprised at how light hearted and free you will feel after the exercise. Once you have practiced it for three or four mornings, you will be in a position to do the exercise each time you get the urge to smoke. These pedestrian, dull, unexciting deep breaths will make it possible for you to quit smoking forever-painlessly!