Here are some simple breathing exercises you can use to help in your practice of natural deep breathing:

Practicing Breath Awareness:

• Notice your breathing.
• Are you breathing through your nose or through your mouth?
• Are you a chest breather or a belly breather? I.e. does your chest expand or your belly when you breathe?
• Do you take little short breaths or deep long breaths?
• Do you hold your breath often?
• Do you sigh or yawn often?
• Do you clench your jaw?
• Count the number of breaths in one minute.

A Simple Breathing Exercise to learn to breathe naturally and deeply:

1. First make yourself comfortable sitting or laying down. Also wear comfortable clothing that does not constrict your breathing.
2. Now place a hand on your chest and the other hand on your abdomen.
3. Breathe in and out through your nose (be greedy for air) while paying attention to how your hands move. The hand on your chest should hardly move, while the hand on your belly should move visibly up and down.

A Natural Breathing Exercise:

1. Correct natural breathing starts with your exhalation. Make an effort to breathe out as much as you can. Let your next breath (your inhalation) arise by itself, when it is ready; let the inbreath be as full as possible. When the lungs are full exhale slowly.
2. Relax your shoulders, your belly and your jaw.
3. Take a deep full breath as often as you remember.
4. Practice full deep belly breathing before you go to sleep; it works miracles.
5. Make your breath your best friend. You can count on him/her for the rest of your life.

"If you relax and breathe deeply thoughts will fly away. Let nothing keep you from breathing, make breathing deeply be your only responsibility." Paul Ferrini in The Silence of the Heart