Percussion Breathing

​In the last post we offered lots of ideas for supporting the immune system with Yoga and Ayurveda. In this post we add a fun breath practice that can be helpful this time of year. 

Sit in a chair so that your feet are on the floor and you can sit tall on your sitting bones. Rest your hands on your thighs, close your eyes and feel your feet making contact with the earth, your seat making contact with the chair. Breathe in and out through the nose for about a minute of centering. 

Make fists with your hands and begin to make gentle percussion beats on your chest, then around the front and sides of your ribcage. Breathe in through the nose and breathe out through the nose or mouth. Do this for two minutes. If you have a friend nearby, they can gently percuss your upper back as well. 

When you’re done, sit quietly in the chair as you did at the beginning. What feels new or different in your breath, body or mind?