Tiger breath, also known as lion breath, is a Yogic breathing exercise (look up pranayama) so it is familiar for those of you who might be practising yoga. Find a comfortable place on the floor, go on all fours and arch your back a little bit (some Yoga teachers also advise crossing your eyes during the exercise), take a deep breath in and during the out-breath stick your tongue out and make a hissing sound. Repeat. This exercise, like the horse breath, releases the muscles of our neck and face and feels like letting all the stress out of our body. So it may help with migraines, neck pains or back pains too.
.
Tip for parents: it is a great way to introduce children and teens to yoga and mindfulness.
.
Tip for therapists: embodied work can be as simple as that, so let’s not underestimate the power of a good, embodied breath, especially when working with trauma.
(As always, do check with your GP before practising)
