Change your breathing, change your life
There is a lot more to breath than we know. In particular, it is a powerful way to control the mind. When I initially sought therapy to help with anxiety and low self esteem my therapist said to me “have you been breathing?”. I was certain I had been breathing so I questioned whether this was worth the hourly rate. Then she explained a basic technique that I still use every day; in the car, at my desk, in bed, you name it!
3 basic breathing exercise steps
Sit comfortably with your spine straight and both feet on the ground.
Inhale slowly and deeply for 5 seconds. Breathe into your stomach and feel it expand.
Exhale slowly for a count of 7. Tighten your stomach and feel it contract.
Doing this a couple of times will make you feel instantly calmer. All the tools you need to create calm are within you, simple to use and they’re all free (even though I paid €70 for that one..).
As Eckhart Tolle says “One conscious breath, in and out, is a meditation. It’s that simple to empower, calm and self regulate.
There are many different breathing technique benefits:
Detoxifies and releases toxins
Aids sleep
Increase attentiveness
Releases tension
Relaxes the body and mind
Brings clarity
Reduce impulsivness
Improves quality of the blood
Strengthens the lungs
Improves cellular regeneration
Elevates mood
Based on the desired outcome there are many different breathing sequences that can be used. Print this excellent Breath Ratio Chart and try these breathing exercises.
Breathing is the single most important thing we do every day. We take it for granted because it happens automatically, but being conscious of this activity could be the secret to better mental health. About 9 years ago I met a girl with word “breathe” tattooed on her wrist. Now I realise that she had learned how different emotions are linked to different patterns of breath and changing the breath patterns can help change our emotions.
A common misconception is that if it’s easy it won’t work but just try it!
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