6-Count Breath with Hakini Mudra

In a recent interview with La Pochette (https://lapochette.co/blogs/le-journal/fashioning-a-new-path), they asked if I could suggest a simple breathing technique that their viewers may use in stressful moments... one of the best ways to calm our nerves is to lengthen our exhalation, as we breath nasally down to the belly. 

[ 6-Count Breath with Hakini Mudra ]
In Yoga Therapy, we consider if a treatment needs ‘Bhramana’ or ‘Langhana’ qualities, in other words, if it needs to energise or unwind.
Inhalations are intrinsically ‘Brahmana’, i.e. nourishing, whilst exhalations are ‘Langhana’, i.e. cleansing, hence why longer breaths out encourage release.
By adopting Hakini Mudra, ‘Gesture of the Goddess Hakini’, we invite balance & harmony to all levels of our being & enhances the circulation throughout our systems. 
Nasal breathing slows the pace down & when we breath into the belly, we activate the vagus nerve (which runs from the abdomen through the organs to the brain) whose function is to regulate the parasympathetic nervous systems, which manages the ‘rest & digest’ response in the body & mind. Hence why, this simple technique may soothe & offer a sense of calm at moments of anxiety.
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*An instructional video of this breathing practice is posted on my Instagram & Facebook. Click on the icons below to be redirected. Take note that the practice can also be done seated too.
**Sweat Bag in Ink by La Pochette featured here
LA Pochette’s mission is to remove ‘hidden’single use plastic from our daily lives. They adopt a circular approach to design, transforming waste into high performance fabrics that’s intended to last. This bag I’ve been using is a great example & is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. To purchase one at a 15% discount, use my code hongyihuang15 (valid till 28 Feb for 1 use per person)