Proper Posture

Image ©BreathQ

Did you know? Proper posture is key to your general well-being and fundamental to proper breathing. Whether you are at the beginning of your breathwork journey or an advanced breather – let’s cultivate a beginner mindset and remind ourselves how to sit right.

In our coachings and retreats, we often see participants struggle to become and remain comfortable and relaxed – especially in longer sessions. This is why posture plays an important role in our coaching.

Making yourself comfortable

You should start by selecting a special space at home to which you will return regularly for your practice. Your subconscious will remember that this is the place for peace and stillness.

If you have a spare room to do this in, that is wonderful. However, any quiet area corner – for example, in your bedroom, kitchen, or guest room – can be just as useful.

The space you select needs to help you feel undisturbed and calm. We recommend avoiding rooms where you work on a computer or watch TV, as they tend to be unconsciously connected to "active" thinking and doing.

However, if your living space is limited, one idea is to cover any technical equipment with a pretty cloth to create the quiet space your mind needs to enter inner stillness. Dimming the lights can also be helpful. The invitation is to use your imagination and personal preferences to design a peaceful area.

Above: Create a space for breath meditations at home

• A little table with a candle

• A photo of a calm and serene place

• Fresh flowers and/or shells, stones, and so on, that you have collected yourself

Choose whatever gives you a sense of gladness and serenity.

You might also require:

• A supportive chair, a stool, a yoga block, or a cushion to sit on (a zafu is a

  meditation cushion used in the Japanese Zen tradition); or a yoga mat, blanket, or rug, if you want to lie on the floor.

• A shawl or your favorite blanket to keep yourself snug.
  

Although we offer a variety of options and modalities for your practice in our coaching programs, a large part of your learning will come from practicing breathwork yourself. Certain instructions are constant in most breath meditations

• Sit with dignity (upright, chin parallel to the floor, relaxed belly)

• Focus on your feet being connected with the ground

• Observe the natural in- and out-breath, allowing your breath to just happen

• Bring your mind back from wandering off and reconnect it to your breath or any other focus of your choice.
  

To practice breath meditations effectively it helps to feel at ease, so choose postures that are conducive to feeling calm and aware, only sit cross-legged on the floor if that feels comfortable. Alternatively, you can sit on a chair, against the wall, kneel, or stand – whatever works for you.

Above: A selection of the different postures you can choose from. Images © BreathQ

Having the right posture is fundamentally important to enable you to focus on the practice. If you are sitting in a chair, make sure that your feet are firmly on the floor; do not cross your legs, to avoid getting pins and needles. If the chair feels a little high, a cushion underneath your feet will help you feel more grounded and solid.

Sit upright with conscious awareness. Your lower back can be aligned with the back of the chair, from the waist upward, however, straighten your lower spine so that it supports itself (if you learn to strengthen your pelvic muscles, you will be able to support yourself better). Keep your neck loose and relaxed and your chin slightly tucked under. Put your hands in your lap, with the palm facing either up (receiving mode) or down (giving mode).

A shawl or blanket around your shoulders to keep you comfy and warm.

If you have chosen to rest on the floor, lie down on a yoga mat, rug, or blanket, and try a thin cushion or rolled-up towel under your head. Make sure your head is not tilted – your airways need to be open, and your neck and shoulders need to be relaxed.

As you relax during meditation, your body temperature will drop. Because of this, using a blanket or a shawl is highly recommended.

Let your legs fall apart – alternatively, they can shape a triangle by placing the feet on the floor, with your knees pointing towards the ceiling. Your arms should lie sideways gently on the floor, with palms of your hands pointing towards the ceiling – think Shavasana…

Again, use a blanket or shawl to cover yourself and keep you warm. Feeling peaceful and calm is an important part of making yourself comfortable before starting. In reality, it is not always possible to find total silence. So whatever sounds occur in the background, turn inward and try to let them pass by without focusing on them.

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Proper Tongue Posture

Did you know that by adopting the right tongue posture, you can enhance the efficiency of your breathwork practice, reduce strain on your respiratory and nervous system, and support overall health and well-being?

No? Then you are like me. Tongue posture is a highly underestimated – and often unaddressed topic for most breath coaches, so let’s take a closer look:

photo: credits by Posturepro

Proper tongue posture refers to where your tongue rests when your mouth is closed, and you’re not actively using it to eat or speak. Look at the two pictures. The tongue in the left image is sitting at the bottom of the mouth.

The ideal tongue posture involves:

• The tongue’s tip resting lightly against the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth

• The midsection and back of the tongue gently pressed against the palate

• Lips closed without straining, and teeth slightly apart

  
  

This positioning ensures optimal function for breathing and swallowing. If you sleep with your tongue sealed in this way it allows nasal breathing while calming the brain through parasympathetic stimulation of the roof of the mouth.This should be your resting posture. Improving your tongue posture is one of the most powerful biohacks you can implement.

Why?

The tongue is innervated by a complex set of muscles that work like an internal tent to hold the airway behind the throat open. These muscles are so important the brain has its own dedicated cranial nerve (hypoglossal nerve). They work to hold and seal the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Every time you swallow, you can improve your tongue posture.

Here's how:

• Focus first on the tip of the tongue going to the gum just behind the upper front teeth

• From here, use the middle of your tongue to press up to your palate like a wave

• The wave continues until the VERY back of the tongue connects to the soft palate

• When you get it right, you should get an audible 'gulp' as the back of the throat seals out

So before you begin your next breathing practice, use these simple techniques to achieve proper tongue posture.

#1. TONGUE ELEVATION EXERCISES

• Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

• Press the entire tongue flat against the palate. Hold for 10 seconds and release.

• Repeat this exercise 10 times.

#2. MEWING TECHNIQUE

Popularized by Dr. John Mew, this practice involves consistently maintaining proper tongue posture. Here’s how:

• Keep your tongue against the roof of your mouth.

•  Ensure your teeth are gently touching without clenching.

• Practice nasal breathing at all times.
  

#3. BREATHING RETRAINING

Incorporate breathwork exercises like diaphragmatic breathing and any vagus nerve activating technique (humming, bee breathing, LSD breathing) to reinforce the connection between tongue posture and nasal breathing.

#4. JAW AND NECK RELAXATION

Tight neck and jaw muscles can hinder proper tongue positioning. Gentle stretching and massage can help release tension.

In a nutshell:

The tongue plays a critical role in maintaining an open airway. Poor posture can lead to mouth breathing, reducing oxygen intake efficiency. Over time, this can affect sleep quality and cognitive function. Conversely, proper tongue posture supports nasal breathing, which is linked to improved oxygenation and a calmer nervous system.

So, make good posture a daily habit and remember that proper breathing and proper posture are inseparately linked.