Let’s start at the beginning … breathing.
Part 1 of 3, the theory:
Breathing is something we do all day every day. Why not use it to bring you calmness, lift you up AND re-energize your body in general?
The benefits of deep breathing are many:
Calms the nerves. When we are anxious we are more likely to breath shallowly, depriving ourselves our of the oxygen that helps our brains work most effectively. I know I can think much more clearly when I am not holding my breath 😉 Problem solving and staying calm in stressful situations are easier when your brain is able to work at peak efficiency.
Increased oxygen in the system also helps the body to work better, giving yourself a bit more stamina during heavy work, and helping your body to repair itself.
In parts 2 & 3 I will outline a couple of different breathing techniques you can use as a starting point. Eventually I will have mp3s you will be able to download so you can follow along with someone else until you are comfortable on your own.
The really cool thing is that you can use your deep breathing practice to imagine pain and anxiety melting from your body. I find it is fantastic for helping me to release muscle tension.
Most people breath shallowly. To see how deeply you breath, rest your hand on your belly and breath normally, does your breathing make your hand move? … No? OK, in part 2 let’s change that and get you started on your first breathing meditation.
To your health,
Connie
Jan says
Connie, your site is so lovely. I have been looking through it. I’ll introduce some friends to it, too, and maybe they’ll join me for some practice…
connielt says
Thank you Jan, I appreciate the positive feedback 🙂 I am planning the first of 5 short downloadable meditations, I will be releasing a new one every 2 weeks. Which would you be more interested in hearing about first – progressive relaxation. deep breathing relaxation for pain relief, centering, grounding or “protection” from energy draining people?
To your health,
Connie
Andrew A. Sailer says
for deep-breathing exercises, a very quiet environment is necessary. change your life in your hands
connielt says
I agree that a quiet environment is the best for meditation in general. It is much easier to reach s deep meditation that way. I find however that even in very stressful situations, remembering to take a few deep breaths helps me to calm my mind and keep my emotions on a more even keel.