Why Do We Exhale through the Mouth?

[SkyGodWarrior]

I have been meditating for a while but I have always heard to inhale through your nose and to exhale through your mouth. I find it more comfortable to just exhale through the nose but I am lazy breather for sure. I went searching for the answer before I actually posted but I found this....

"The lungs are a primary source of our energy level. They extract oxygen from the air we breathe primarily on the exhale. Because the nostrils are smaller then the mouth, air exhaled through the nose creates back pressure when one exhales. It slows the air escape so the lungs have more time to extract oxygen from them."

Which I was not expecting and actually misread it to fit the conclusion I stated above but upon closer inspection I found that it is the opposite. So can anyone tell me the purpose of exhaling out of the mouth or is it just merely an exercise for the chest and lung muscles?

Thanks

[gerrygriz]

I think it has to do with the relationship between food and air. We cough up food and in other cases we vomit it. Pardon my French.

GG

[SkyGodWarrior]

Hmm... interesting statement.. it kinda sounds like duality... ying and yang... maybe this is the relationship or the "reason" why one breaths in the nose and out through the mouth... I wonder.

[baro-san]

There is actually another school of thought that claims that it's healthier to both inhale and exhale through the nose only. Look up "Buteyko"!

[DalesRealMeditation]

Originally Posted by SkyGodWarrior

So can anyone tell me the purpose of exhaling out of the mouth or is it just merely an exercise for the chest and lung muscles?

Thanks

It's originally from exercise, not meditation.

Going back one step, nasal breathing benefits energy flow through the nadi/energy channels AND activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is physically relaxing. ideal for meditation, among many other reasons.

Mouth breathing, while less appealing for meditation, is more effective for exercise when we have to push a large volume of air in and out of the lungs quickly. You'll notice as you warm up you switch from nasal breathing to nose and mouth breathing. when exercising vigorously, it's mainly mouth breathing.

During the cool down, the group exercise/P.E. instructor will tell the group to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth in order to accomplish two things:
get enough air in and out of the lungs
activate the parasympathetic nervous system to physically calm and relax our bodies.

I don't know why modern "gurus" teach this (which they do) but i don't know why they teach most things that they do.

hope this helps

restated: it's neither necessary nor beneficial to mouth breathe during meditation, in any phase of development or state of being, ever.

[CrystalSong]

I grew up in a desert, there exhaling through the mouth is a good way to get dehydrated quickly. :P

[dryad]

After trying it each way for a few seconds this is my interpretation....It creates a difference in the sensation between inhale and exhale. There is more of a sensation of pressure breathing through the nose so when your trying to link the movement of breath to the movement of energy it would create more focus on energy coming in to you with the inward breath and by exhaling through the mouth the lack of pressure translates to less energy leaving you so over time it will lead to building your energy levels. The conscious shift allows you to visualise energy coming in with the inhale and shifting the exhale to breath only so that the energy stays within you.

[SkyGodWarrior]

@Baro-San: Yeah I looked it up and it seems interesting but it kinda seems like there is a lot missing but non the less I will look more into it to see what points it makes.

@DalesRealMeditation:Thank you I kinda saw that point when I focus on my breathing. It seems that you get more of a work out breathing through the mouth then solo through the nose and I guess over time if you do both it would help you build stronger muscles to possibly control your breathing patterns. So I suppose its better to practice but when its time to gather some chi its all for the nose?

@CrystalSong: **** :) or to know who has hot breath lol.

@Dryad: That makes sense as I know that energy is contained in the air and I know that inhaling through the nose it goes directly to the lungs and that less air actually leaves when we exhale so that is interesting. Its interesting to fathom the differences between beliefs with this whole subject when I was figuring that there was a sure cut way to go about it. haha Now I suppose I have a legit question to ask my guides lol...

Thanks to all of you I appreciate the responses!!

[Divine Consciousness]

All my techniques are based on inhale and exhale from nostrils not exhaling from mouth.

Its based on Himalayan arts of meditation. even in Zazen there inhale & exhale both from nostrils.

Benefit is exhale too brushes third eye chakra, I mean pineal gland.

[ajasatya]

i've always inhaled and exhaled through the nostrils during meditation.

meditation is not supposed to go against the basic function of the organs. if you feel better using the nostrils to inhale and exhale, then do it. that's how it's largely taught in almost all buddhist and yogic traditions. the usage of the mouth to breath boosts anxiety and thirst.