Begin in the supine posture by positioning yourself face up so that your back is on the floor with knees bent 90 degrees and feet flat on the ground.  Neck and spine should be “neutral” and comfortable. Use a bolster for the neck if necessary.  Place one hand very high on the chest and one hand low on the abdomen (at or below the belly button).

1. Take a nasal inhalation and exhalation. 
2. Nasal inhalation should be a low, slow 3 seconds  
3. Then a brief pause 
4. Nasal exhalation should be slow and full 4-6 seconds  
5. Then a longer pause (2-3 seconds) 
6. Then the next breath cycle 
7. The air should “hit” the lower hand first and the finish of the breath should arrive at the top hand. This is sometimes called high/low breathing.
8. Once the High/Low breathing is easily performed move the hands to the sides of the abdomen (just above the iliac crest but below the floating ribs) so that you can feel the lateral expansion of the abdomen equally to both sides. The air should expand in a 360-degree fashion filling the “cylinder” of the abdomen.