Skip to content
Atmung im Yoga: Wenn der Atem durch Cupping im Körper wieder Raum findet Atmung im Yoga: Wenn der Atem durch Cupping im Körper wieder Raum findet

Breathing in Yoga: When the Breath Finds Space in the Body Again Through Cupping

author
Ines Wahl
Physiotherapeutin und Yogatherapeutin
author https://www.haende-werk.at

Ines Wahl arbeitet mit einem ganzheitlichen Ansatz in der Yogatherapie und verbindet Yin Yoga sowie Restorative Yoga mit therapeutischen Methoden. Die Aktivierung von Selbstheilungskräften und die bewusste Körperwahrnehmung stehen im Mittelpunkt ihrer Arbeit. Sie begleitet Menschen dabei, über Ruhe, Achtsamkeit und gezielte Impulse wieder in Kontakt mit ihrem Körper zu kommen.

The breath shows itself in the body. It moves the chest, lifts and lowers the ribs and reacts immediately to tension, posture, and internal states. If it is restricted, it loses space and depth. If it becomes noticeable again, presence arises. The body calms down and attention is directed inward. Breathing is thus both a physiological function and a direct access to one's own experience.

Restricted breathing space and its consequences

In practice, it is often shown that exactly this access is restricted Many breathe shallowly, irregularly, or predominantly into the upper chest. Movement in the chest remains limited, the ribs work only restrictedly, and breathing does not reach the areas necessary for free and deep breathing would be necessary. A major reason for this lies in everyday life. Permanent tension, high demands, and predominantly sedentary activities lead to changed posture and movement patterns. Shoulders slump forward, the The chest loses mobility and the breathing space becomes increasingly restricted. In addition, the perception of one's own breathing is often only minimal is pronounced. Breathing happens without really feeling it. Breathing becomes is controlled rather unconsciously than perceived. If you try to deepen, additional tension often arises instead of lightness. The access breathing thus becomes a task that should be actively implemented, instead of developing out of the body. At the same time, there is often a lack of the structural conditions for free breathing. Tensions in chest, back, or shoulder-neck region restrict the mobility of the respiratory muscles. Breathing can no longer fully expand, certain areas remain unused. This creates a cycle: Less movement in the tissue leads to less breathing space, and a restricted breathing in turn intensifies the lack of perception.

Placed laterally, the Cups focus on the horizontal width and the diaphragm

More space in the chest through Cupping

Cupping works directly in the areas involved in breathing. Through targeted stimulation of the skin, fascia, and muscles, blood circulation is stimulated and the tissue mobilized. Tensions in the chest, back, or in in the shoulder-neck region can loosen, the mobility of the ribs improves and the chest gains width. This makes breathing freer and can spread more evenly throughout the body again. This physical Change has an immediate effect. Areas that were previously little involved were involved again, breathing becomes deeper and calmer. The applied stimulus also creates provides direct feedback for perception. It becomes immediately noticeable, where the breath spreads and which areas move. The Attention is directed to the body and follows the breathing without does not have to be actively controlled. It is actually experienced. Cupping can be applied to naturally flow into yoga practice to facilitate breathing and also to make it consciously perceptible. It works less through fixed routines as well as through an immediate experience of the breathing movement. The effect arises from the interaction of tissue, movement, and breathing.

Open the chest: Application for freer breathing

In practice, Cupping is specifically used in the chest area, to directly influence breathing. Especially effective is the application along the ribs as well as in the area of the diaphragm, the sternum and the lateral respiratory muscles. Here, breathing is often restricted by tension and limited mobility restricts. The Cups are placed bilaterally along placed or moved at the lower rib arch or in the chest area applied. Even the slight pull in the tissue creates an initial Change. The chest area becomes more noticeable, movements during inhaling and exhaling become more clearly perceived. At the same time, the tissue can loosen, so that breathing can spread more freely. The application can be both preparatory as well as during an exercise. Before practice, Cupping supports involved in releasing tension and opening the breathing space. During the exercise, the applied stimulus directs perception specifically to the areas into which one breathes should be done.

Breathing arises from sensing. It becomes apparent where it flows and which areas have hardly been involved so far. In doing so, the placement of the Cups follows fewer fixed rules and more the individual's Sensation[1]. It is crucial where tightness is perceived in the body or where breathing feels restricted. It is exactly there that the stimulus can be set to create new to open movement spaces. This creates access to breathing that goes beyond perception works.


[1] Application only on intact skin; avoid sensitive or inflamed areas; if unclear before use, seek medical advice. Further information on safe use: https://www.bellabambi.de/pages/yoga

More from the BellaBambi® Journal

>> BellaBambi® Journal

Supporting Pregnancy with BellaBambi® Cups

Pregnancy means change – physically, emotionally, and often mentally as well. That’s exactly why my colleague Beate and I developed the seminar “Pregnant in Balance with BellaBambi® Cups.” Our goal was to provide midwives and professionals with a holistic concept to mindfully support pregnant women – from pregnancy through the postpartum period.The focus is on the gentle possibilities of BellaBambi® Cups: for relaxing the jaw, neck, and pelvic floor, supporting hormonal changes, and promoting body awareness and regeneration. Especially important to me is the connection between the jaw and pelvic floor – two areas that are closely linked and influence each other.

Cupping physiotherapy

Gabriele Kiesling, physiotherapy expert and owner of the German Institute for Quality in Physiotherapy (diqp), describes her Cupping approach, which is suitable for both laypeople and professional users alike.

Cupping bei Kaiserschnittnarbe - Warum gute Narbenpflege mehr ist als Kosmetik

Viele Frauen erleben ihre Kaiserschnittnarbe nicht nur als sichtbare Erinnerung an die Geburt, sondern auch als Veränderung ihres Körpergefühls. Spannungen, Taubheitsgefühle oder ein ungewohntes Gefühl im Bauchbereich können Hinweise darauf sein, dass die Heilung weit über die Hautoberfläche hinausgeht. Warum Faszien, Gewebegleiten und eine achtsame Narbenpflege dabei eine wichtige Rolle spielen und wie du deinen Körper bei der Regeneration unterstützen kannst, erfährst du in diesem Beitrag.

Osteopathy for Home: Why Our Nervous System Deserves More Attention

Stress often manifests in the body long before we consciously notice it. In this article, Friederike Reumann explains why she wrote her book "Osteopathy for Home. Nervous System," how osteopathic self-regulation can help in everyday life, and the role Cupping plays in stress-related tension.

Somatic Yoga x Cupping for a regulated nervous system

Get out of the thought carousel and into feeling: The combination of Somatic Yoga and Cupping can help your nervous system develop more safety, presence, and body awareness. Learn how Cups can act as a somatic anchor, why chronic stress often becomes visible in the body, and how to integrate Cupping purposefully into your yoga and mindfulness practice.

Stretching in Yoga: Cupping gets the tissue moving again

Stretching in yoga does not just mean going deeper into a pose. The real change happens in the tissue. Fascia stores tension, loses elasticity without regular movement, and thus affects how free your body feels. This is exactly where Cupping can help: The gentle suction lifts the tissue, fluid starts moving again, and tensions can release more easily. Especially in forward bends or side stretches, this often creates more ease without you having to actively apply more pressure. It is not intensity that changes the body, but the quality of the movement in the tissue.
Back to top