Simple And Grounding Breath Practice.
Sometimes we face anxiety inducing situations and our nervous system becomes all out of whack. I came face to face with one such situation lately and it really sent me into a tailspin of emotions. The situation got me thinking of ways that I could have handled the situation and the aftermath of the emotions that affected my body a bit better than I did. Digging into my toolbox I remembered that in situations like the one I had experienced, all I had to do was come back to my breath to calm and regulate my nervous system. How could the yogi in me forget that I had a simple yet powerful tool? and all it would take to restore calm to my system was to return to my breath. I would like to share below, the simple yet powerful breath work technique I utilised to get me functioning from a place of calm again and thinking clearly.
Returning to your core self
The Technique
Find a comfortable seated or lying position
Place one hand on your heartspace
Place another hand on your belly
Become aware of your breathing and the life force (prana) within you
Inhale deeply through the nose and as you do so feel your belly rise with the palm of your hand
Exhale slowly through the nose as you notice your breath and your belly deflates
Repeat the above steps for three rounds
After the final round, allow your breath to regulate to its natural rhythm
Sit in stillness for a few moments and express gratitude for your breath and body and the ability to see you through anxious times
I hope that this simple breath work technique will serve you well in times of panic or anxiety. To serve as a reminder that to ground ourselves and return to our core self is an only a simple step away. Happy breathing!
