1. Prepare your state of mind:

Beginners:

Try to only do your practice when you are feeling calm and relaxed. It is not good for a beginner to immediately try to meditate or do breathwork after a busy day at work, as it makes it harder to concentrate. Perhaps have a short 11 minute power nap beforehand to recharge your mind.

Intermediate and experienced:

Use the practice to help relieve or enhance certain states of mind. If you are stressed, see how it relieves it or helps you gain more clarity of mind. If you are feeling happy, see if you can turn on the dial of your happiness to an even higher level!

2. Limit distractions:

Keep potential distractions to a minimum. Common distractions include voices, people and noise. Temperature and smell is also important to get right. Too hot or cold will become a distraction, so will bad smells. So prepare your room in advance if possible.

3. Empty stomach:

It is better to do any kind of breathwork and meditation on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. So if you are doing it during the day, make sure you do not consume any heavy meals for at least 2 hrs before.

4. Be comfortable:

Be relaxed as much as possible as a relaxed body creates a relaxed mind. So if you are sitting or lying  make sure you use a quality mattress, pillows or blankets to stay as comfortable as possible. If you are experienced you may want to test your ability to remain focused with a bit of discomfort. You can be mindful of the pain or discomfort by drawing your attention to it, then letting go.

5. Duration:

Quality is more important than quantity. You do not need to meditate or do any form of breathwork for hours at a time. Our breathwork meditation techniques are designed to give you all the benefits in 15 minutes or less.

6. No force:

Meditation and breathwork should feel effortless. There should be no strain and your muscles should be relaxed and not tense. If you are too forceful with your breathing or try too hard to meditate you will cause tension in your body which is counterproductive.

7. Correct posture:

It is important when doing any type of breathwork meditation when sitting to have a straight back without slouching. This allows energy to flow more freely through your body and also for your lymph glands that clear toxins out of your body to work more efficiently.

8. Patience:

As a beginner you may sometimes get frustrated with not being able to meditate. This is common when trying to do meditation that involves focusing your mind on one single point, or trying to clear thoughts. This form of meditation is actually not better than any other form in terms of the benefits. So don’t worry if you feel you cannot clear your mind of thoughts. I prefer breathwork meditation where your mind can focus on the action of breathing, and breathwork actually has a clear effect on your physiology, so you get instant feedback from the changes in your emotions and feelings from doing it.

9. Consistency and Mindfulness:

Consistency is the key to getting all the benefits of meditation and breathwork. Make it a daily habit for life. Meditation also does not have to end after the session. You can be conscious about the way you breath all day long. The more mindful you are about how you breathe throughout the day, the more it becomes an automatic habit. For example when eating a meal, have no distractions, turn off the TV and eat in peace so that your only focus is your food. You can meditate on every bite you take. Really indulge in the tastes and textures of the food. Savour every single mouthful as though it’s the last meal you will ever have. Then after you eat, use breathwork techniques to turn on your rest and digest most, and imagine all the wonderful nutrients entering your blood stream, flowing to different parts of your body, nourishing and rejuvenating you. Meditation is about being in the moment and focusing on exactly what you are doing at that moment.

Golden Rules:

• Always try to breathe through both nostrils, unless your nose is severely blocked.
• Nostril breathing stimulates the production of nitric oxide (NO) which dilates blood vessels giving better blood flow around the body.
• Do not over exert yourself with each exercise. Go at your own pace.
  Best results come from staying consistent and doing a little bit more everyday.