Breath
If there is one simple game-changer, it’s this.
“Breath is the umbilical cord to the universe.”
“If there is one thing to take away from my sessions, learn to breathe correctly””
What they both meant was, if we can stay connected and relaxed with natural respiration, we can stay connected to everything that’s happening around us without the hijack’s, the spiralling rabbit holes, breath is the pause button. You know what I’m talking about?
On a mental level, a regular breath practice gives us control back of our ‘monkey’ mind. On the psychological level, breath supply’s every cell with oxygen or they die. Stress narrows our breath to mere sips, so we barely get enough or barely notice that our brain shrivels, are shoulders hunch are posture ebbs away along with energy.
Everyday I was being yanked by my own neurotic nervous system, I had no idea that my decisions were not actually my decisions. That the choices I was making were based on my nervous system glitching out, on the fritz like loose wires in a socket. No wonder life felt hard, fragmented. Breath takes us into the moment, it’s the reality check, the giver of space. It draws us out of the past - ‘what if’s’, and holds us back from all future planning - ‘if I just get this done’. These are the story’s we tell ourselves, our unrealities. Learn to breath and see reality.
What is a breath practice? Where to start?
There are some amazing and incredible breath practices to train your mind, calm the nervous system and transport you far away, Vim Hoff, Holotypic Breath Work. Breath to help you sleep, breath to help you focus, breath to take you intergalactic.
Today start with BOX Breathing.
The Navy SEALs use “Box Breathing” technique. It trains them to relax under stressful conditions. Try it if you’d like, but you don’t even need to get that fancy—just breathe slower, deeply, smoothly, for three minutes. Your whole world will be better for it.
The Box Breathing app: www.boxbreathing.org is the simplest and most effective breath trainer I have found so far.
10 mins a day. I started at 5 sec inhale and 5 sec exhale its where Joseph Pilates started us all out at. But I am now up to 12 sec inhale and 12 sec exhale. Let me know how you go. Start where you are comfortable and build it up. You can train it anywhere, you don’t have to look like an Om-ing nut-job. Just quietly inhale and exhale…it feels so good.
For sure…
Increases Blood Flow
Increases Learning and Skill Development
Increases Focus and Attention
Increases Energy
Improves Immune System
Clears the Mind
Enhances Arousal Response
Reduces Anxiety
Decreases Shallow Breathing
Increase Awareness
Improves Discipline
Helps regulate Nervous System
Reduces Stress
Calms Nerves
Improves Meditation
Blog By Holly Murray