How To Do Circle Breathing

Didgeridoos and Drum

Can you blow air out of your mouth while inhaling? That sounds like doing two opposing things at once. And it is. But it can be done. Why would anyone want to? Is there a practical reason for doing that? Or is it just something a person can do that has no useful purpose, such as rubbing one’s tummy and patting one’s head at the same time?

Circle breathing has a practical use. Circle breathing is a technique used by musicians who need to continue blowing into their horn or didgeridoo while, at the same, time breathe in air.

Learning to circle breath takes time and practice because our bodies have to be trained to do things that are opposite each other.

It is best to learn with a tube whose opening is about one inch in diameter. A plastic golf club sleeve would work. You can also use a didgeridoo.

When I was in the Navy, I was taught the phrase, Loose lips sink ships. We were taught never to divulge where our ship was headed to anyone. Loose lips in circle breathing is all about the physical nature of your lips. It is not what you say to anyone. Thus, you need to learn how to blow through loose lips.

Step One: Fill your cheeks with air and blow the air out between your loose lips so that your lips flap as the air passes through. Pretend that you are a little child playing with toy cars and making the engine sound with your lips. After you have done that a few times, blow the air out without making a noise, other than the noise your lips make as they flap against each other. Practice that a few times.

Step Two: Fill your cheeks with air. Take your two hands and push your fingers into your cheeks so that you push the air out. There should be a small sound emitted as the air escapes between your lips.  Practice this a few times.

Step Three: Fill your cheeks with air. Hold it in your cheeks. Blow the air, that is in your lungs, out through your nose. Make sure you retain all the air that is in your cheeks. Once the air in your lungs is gone you will need to take air in. Wait just a bit longer. Now go back to Step Two: Use your fingers to push the air out of your mouth as you breathe in air through your nose at the same time.

The first time you try this it will not feel natural to your body. Your body might refuse to cooperate by waiting until you have pushed all the air out of your mouth before it allows you to inhale. Do not be discouraged. Your body is being confused by what seems like conflicting commands.  Ignore your body’s confusion and keep trying. You will succeed. Practice doing this a few times until it feels easy.

After you have succeeded in doing Step Three you are ready to move forward.

Step Four. Fill your cheeks with air and hold it. Blow out all the air in your lungs. Make sure you blow it all out. Retain all the air that is in your cheeks. Hold it until you feel you really need to breathe. Now, without the aid of your fingers, use your cheek muscles to blow out the air in your mouth while you inhale through your nose.

It is harder without the aid of your fingers. But with practice you can do it. Keep practicing. You can use your fingers as a reminder. But practice without the aid of your hands. You can tighten your lips a wee bit, if necessary, when you use your cheek muscles to push the air out of your cheeks.

Once you have succeeded with Step Four and you feel confident, you can move forward to circle breathing with an instrument.

Step Five. Take your tube or didgeridoo. Hold it against your lips, but not too tightly. Fill your mouth with air and hold it. Blow the air through your didgeridoo or plastic golf club sleeve with loose lips. Before you run out of air, use Step Four to inhale through your nose so that you can blow continuously through your didgeridoo, without stopping.

When you have mastered Step Five, contact me and I will teach you how to swallow while circle breathing.