Lion's Breath

A lot of students hold back the sound and the facial expression out of self-consciousness, which quietly removes most of what the technique is for. The exaggerated face and audible roar are doing real work, releasing tension through the jaw, face, and throat, and a held-back version doesn't offer nearly the same release.

To release facial, jaw, and throat tension through a forceful, expressive exhale paired with a fully engaged face.

1. 1Come to a comfortable seated position, either on the shins or cross-legged.
2. 2Bring the hands to the knees or the floor in front, fingers spread wide.
3. 3Take a breath in through the nose.
4. 4Open the mouth wide, stick the tongue out and down toward the chin, and exhale forcefully with an audible "ha" sound, like a roar.
5. 5Widen the eyes and engage the whole face as the exhale releases.
6. 6Let the face relax completely, close the mouth, and breathe normally for a moment before repeating.

Instead of searching for the “correct” position, notice:

• •Spine long even as the face and mouth fully engage.
• •Hands spread wide on the knees or floor, fingers active, matching the energy of the exhale.
• •No effort held in the shoulders, even though the face and throat are working.

The inhale is unremarkable and simply sets up the exhale. The exhale is the entire technique: forceful, audible, and driven from the belly rather than just the throat, paired with the full facial expression.

Look for held-back versions, a quiet exhale with a barely-open mouth. That's a sign of self-consciousness rather than a technique being adapted, and it's worth naming gently and normalizing rather than letting it pass unaddressed, since the full expression is where the release actually comes from.

Reflect after practising:

• •Feeling silly doing this is extremely common, especially the first time. That feeling is worth pushing through gently, since the full expression is where the benefit is.
• •If you're in a shared space and self-conscious about the sound, a quieter version with the same full facial engagement still offers most of the release.

Rather than mistakes, you may notice:

• •Practice in front of a mirror privately first if self-consciousness is the main barrier, separating the skill-building from the social discomfort of doing it in a group.

• •A quieter exhale for shared or quiet spaces, keeping the full tongue stretch and facial engagement, which carries most of the releasing effect even without the loud sound.

• ✓Let the face fully relax after the final round, noticing any looseness in the jaw or throat before moving on.