IRUKA NO KOKYU
Dolphin Breathing
Copyright © 2002 James Deacon

The Dolphin Breathing practice is a simple yet profoundly beneficial one.

It can be practiced either standing, or seated on a chair, stool or bench, or in a crosslegged posture or in the seiza posture, or whilst reclining.

Choose a time and place where you are unlikely to be disturbed - initially 5 -10 minutes will be quite sufficient for practice - with time you may want to increase this.
Take off your shoes. And wherever you are doing this exercise - indoors or out, make sure (if standing, or seated on the floor) the floor/ground is both comfortable and warm. Do not practice this on cold floors/ground, do not practice in the cold, generally.
If you are doing this standing up, begin by standing with your feet about shoulder-with apart, arms by your sides.
If seated, sit up straight (comfortably so - no need for rigid military-style posture - this will only impede the technique). Rest your hands, palms down, on your legs.
If reclining, rest your arms by your sides.

Having 'hara-centred' oneself, become loosely focussed on the natural rhythms of your breathing. The term used is 'watching the breath' - this implies non-interference with the natural process of respiraton. Do not seek to consciously breathe - merely be aware that you are breathing effortlessly.

After a few moments, you should begin to imagine that, just like a dolphin, you have a 'breathing hole' on the top of your head - and that you are already (again effortlessly) breathing through this opening - the air travelling between this opening and your lungs, along a channel through the centre of your head.

This 'breathing hole' awareness should be maintained for a few minutes.

Over time, the duration of Dolphin Breathing will gradually be increased, yet no 'effort' will ever be involved.