Breath is an aspect of posture.  Posture is an aspect of breath.  In a single word: relax.

When we breathe, particularly if we breathe properly, our entire structure shifts.  Our spine bends, our sacrum tucks, our ribs expand, our belly and waist expand, the muscles in our throat and pelvic floor contract, and even our hips and shoulders may make minor shifts.

On the other side of the coin, misalignments and chronic patterns of tension and weakness in our body structure may inhibit breath participation in certain areas of the body and permit too much expansion in other areas.  Therefore, proper postural alignment plays a key role in efficient breathing.As a whole, with a couple of key points on posture, the way to proper alignment and efficient breathing is relaxation.  Relaxing – with a continuously deepening awareness of your inner body – generates a gradual process of “letting go” of chronic tension, both in postural and breathing muscles.  This “letting go” also begins to shift the way your structure distributes weight, allowing tense/tight muscles to begin to naturally lengthen and encourages weaker/underused muscles to take on more of the work.  In essence, a more even and efficient distribution of weight is achieved, and the body begins to work as it is designed: an architectural wonder for neutralizing gravity’s pull.

As this occurs, “letting go” also allows the body structure to shift slightly – as it should – as our breath creates gentle, internal changes in pressure.  Furthermore, gentle, focused breathing along with “letting go” (both physically and mentally) brings more blood flow to the muscles and nerves (especially to chronically tight areas beginning to loosen up).  This oxygenates the muscles and nerves and helps the body and mind to further relax.