Assignment’s Directions:
Part 2: Respiratory System: Breath Awareness. Have you ever played with your own breath? How about simply being totally aware of what it feels like to inhale and exhale? Here is an opportunity to really play with breathing.
Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for about ten minutes. While you are in this place, with your eyes open or closed, focus on your breathing and try to put all other thoughts out of your mind. Notice the time it takes for you to take each breath while you are relaxed.
1-notice the parts of your body that rise and fall as you inhale and exhale.
Try to inhale a few slow breaths. You may want to put your hands on your chest and belly to gain a better sense of how this feels. After observing this central part of your body through breath, play around with other parts, such as lifting your shoulders as high as you can during inhales, and lowering during exhales.
2-Is the inhale part of your breath longer or shorter than the exhale part of your breath? Count
There are certain words in our vocabulary that take very little breath to say, while other words are almost exhausting. Choose several words to say as you count in your head. 3-Which words take only a count of one?
4-Are there any words you know that take a count of three on your exhale?
5-Do you know any words that take longer than a count of three to say?
Time yourself as you make a long sound. It will be helpful to use a clock with a second hand. Say the sound aaaaahhhhhhh… and time yourself to see how many seconds you can go before taking a new breath. Try this several more times and see if you can extend your time. 6-What is one technique you can use to keep your “aaahhh” going longer? Write one paragraph describing your experience and what you found while trying this exercise.
Grading
Criteria – 40
points total
- All questions are answered fully – 10 points
- Experience is described in detail – 10 points each organ
- Correct length – 10 points
- Correct spelling and grammar – 10 points
