Step 6: Now your feet are apart and parallel, your buttocks are tucked in, and the back of your head is pulled up with your spine as straight as possible. Your weight is settled comfortably through your spine and onto your pelvic cavity; your knees are slightly bent and relaxed. Your lower abdominal muscles become naturally firmer by the position of your buttocks.

Now, just add slightly to that tightened feeling by tightening your anus. DO NOT tighten the anus too forcefully, however. Again, the tightening should be a natural process arising from the position of your buttocks. This tightening is very important, because the goal is to keep air from leaking out of any "openings" in the body.

Step 7: Finally, relax your cheeks and jaw muscles, while keeping your teeth slightly apart and your tongue touching the inside of the upper gums.

Now, you are in the proper standing position for Controlled Breathing.

When you first try this, you may feel extremely awkward in your standing position. This is natural, because you probably have developed bad standing and posture habits throughout your life. But this is actually a very natural way to stand; when you get used to it, it will feel extremely comfortable and solid.

Also, you may feel overwhelmed at first at all the things you have to remember to do in order to stand properly. Again, give yourself time and keep on practicing. Also, memorize this "self-check": feet, knees, buttocks, abdomen, head/jaws, spine, anus, abdomen. In other words, check your standing position from the feet up to the head, then check to see if your spine is straight and your abdomen and anus are tight.

As you practice achieving a proper and truly balanced standing position, and can quickly "self-check" to make sure you are maintaining the proper position, you will find it coming to you more naturally, and you won't have to concentrate as much on it as time goes on. Instead, you will become more "in touch" with your body and proper standing will become automatic.

You can and should practice proper standing any time throughout the day, for example, when you get up to stretch after a long period of sitting, or when you are standing in line for something. But at least two times a day, for at least ten minutes per session, you should practice Controlled Breathing in the proper standing position. It is very important for you to practice twice a day, so that you will give your mind and body enough training for the benefits of Controlled Breathing to evolve.

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