"The Basics of Mental Care Lie in Breathing Techniques" - Notes for a Clinical Psychologist: Psychology

I recently had the opportunity to speak in front of an audience for the first time in a while, and while I was waiting in the wings for my turn, I became incredibly nervous and my heart was pounding. Thinking, "When should I try it? Now is the time!" (a bit dated, I know), I practiced Progressive Muscle Relaxation, and it really calmed me down immediately. I was surprised.

What is Progressive Muscle Relaxation?

It is a relaxation method developed by Jacobson, which aims to achieve deeper relaxation by first tensing a part of the body's muscles and then releasing them all at once, allowing one to feel the muscle sensation. It works on the principle of a pendulum. You offset the over-tension that has swung all the way to the right due to a certain event by intentionally creating physical rigidity tension to the left. When you focus your consciousness and introspect on the relaxation of your body, you can feel your heartbeat subside, and your feelings become calm. Since there are individual differences in mind-body balance, I won't say it definitely works for everyone, but it worked for me. I think the human (my) mind and body are actually quite simple.

It is also introduced on video sites, so please search for "Progressive Muscle Relaxation" and watch the actual movements to confirm. The movements themselves are simple, so it is useful to remember them.

Breathing Techniques

If Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a coping (instant) therapy, I think breathing techniques are a fundamental (long-term) relaxation therapy. The goal is to calm your feelings and ease tension by regulating your breathing. The breathing in breathing techniques is abdominal breathing, performed with the abdomen, not the lungs. By incorporating it into your daily life—morning, noon, and night—you will achieve emotional stability.

● Dantian Breathing: Sit cross-legged to stabilize your hips and adjust your posture so that your head sits straight on top of your spine. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Perform Dantian breathing. The Dantian is located 10 cm below the navel.
● Gyoga-zen (Lying Zen): Perform this when you cannot fall asleep. Place your hands on your stomach and inhale. Move your hands to your lower abdomen while storing the breath in your lower abdomen. Hold your breath for one second, then exhale slowly.
● Hitoiki-zen (One-Breath Zen): Straighten your posture and relax your shoulders. Then, focus your consciousness on your lower abdomen, exhale slowly through your nose, and inhale slowly. Repeat this several times. When exhaling, imagine exhaling all the fuzziness in your heart. It is fine to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Reference: "Recommendations for Zazen to Expand the Heart" by Tozen Nakano

● 3-2-10 Breathing Technique
1. Sit on the edge of a chair and straighten your back. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.
2. Open your mouth into a small circle and, as if sighing, exhale slowly, thinly, and long through your mouth while counting to 10. If you press your abdomen slightly with both hands halfway through and lean your body forward, you can exhale for longer. When exhaling, imagine that the things bothering you are leaving your body along with the exhaled breath, leaving your head empty and refreshed.
3. Once you have exhaled completely, relax your hands and inhale through your nose while counting to 3. Do this while raising your leaned-forward body and opening your chest. Relax your shoulders. Imagine vibrant energy entering your empty head.
4. Hold your breath for a count of 2. Imagine the vibrant energy permeating your entire body.
5. Start exhaling again. Repeat this for a while (5 to 10 minutes). In the case of depression, perform it for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Reference: "Japan Industrial Counselors Association - Ima Koko Tokyo" 2019.10 Issue No. 61

There are various ways to do this depending on the school of thought. It is important to try a few, choose one that fits your rhythm, and continue it morning, noon, and night. Those who are quick to adapt will likely feel the effects in about 2 to 3 weeks.

When considering mind-body training, the first step is stretching for the physical aspect and breathing techniques for mental care. Since the mind has no physical form, it is difficult to deal with it directly, so focusing on breathing and turning your consciousness toward your inner world is the first step in mental training.

It's great that Hitoiki-zen can be done in any situation; I often do it on the commuter train or in the elevator. Everyone breathes, but in breathing techniques, it is important to do it consciously. Although it takes time for breathing techniques to be effective, it is a psychotherapy I would like to recommend to many people.