Golden Thread Breathing

With this breathing practice we lengthen the exhalation or the out-breath. This calms the nervous system thus calming the entire body and mind. It takes the ‘panic’ or the stress out of a difficult situation so this breathing technique is often used in labour. We also use a visualisation technique which can help us focus the attention on the task at hand.

Start your breathing practice in a loose comfortable, cross legged seated pose or any easy seated pose. Sit on a pillow, cushion, folded blanket, yoga block or on a chair if you want to. 

The breath work can also be done lying down as a relaxation practice or as an aid to falling asleep.

You will be breathing in your nose and out through your slightly parted lips. Begin by opening your mouth a tiny bit, just enough so a sliver of paper could fit between the lips. As best you can relax the inside of your mouth and your jaw completely. 

Inhale normally through your nose and exhale out your slightly parted lips. As the breath leaves the lips, because the gap is so small, the exhale will naturally be a little longer. The invitation for this practice is to visualise a fine golden thread spinning out on the breath. We visualise the golden thread spinning out and away into the air around, for as long as the breath, and the mind, will comfortably carry it. As best you can, keep the focus of your attention really precise. Let it start at the exhale, on the lips, and then allow it to travel out into the air along your golden thread for as long as the breath, and your mind, can comfortably carry it. Of course the mind might wander, get distracted or start thinking about something else. That’s what minds do. No problem, we can begin again any time at the start of the exhale, at the lips, and spin our golden thread with our imaginations again. You can be as elaborate, or not, with exactly how your little golden thread looks. Sometimes mine is more like a feather, sometimes it’s a very fine, light, interlocked golden chain.

Complete five to ten rounds of golden thread breathing and then return to your normal breath. Observe how you feel. Smile and acknowledge your body’s ability to find calm when we lengthen the exhale.

Sylvia is teaching yoga and mindfulness year-round in Community Centres, supportive venues in nature and on yoga retreats in Solar Alvura, Portugal. You can find out more on the events and workshops page.