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“Breathing in I know that I am breathing in
~Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
Mindfulness
How many times do we arrive somewhere and cannot recall which route we took to get there or what we saw along the way. We are so preoccupied and unaware that we fail to notice where we are going or what we are doing at any given moment. Often times it takes something serious to happen before we get that “wake up call”. But we don’t need to wait for tragedy to wake us up. We can begin the journey to mindfulness by taking small steps. These steps will help us to bring awareness to each moment of each day.
The first one we will discuss is “Conscious Breathing”
Every conscious breath you take nourishes your cells, which leads to improved health. You will experience mental clarity, better quality sleep, better moods, more balance in your day and so much more.
Let’s begin the journey…
Find a quiet corner where you won't be disturbed. Sit comfortably, on the floor or in a chair.
Relax your shoulders. Sit up as straight as you can. If your back needs support, sit on the floor with your back leaning against a wall. You can close your eyes if you wish but it’s not necessary.
Take a few deep breaths and remember to inhale through the nose, exhale through the nose.
Let’s begin mindfulness breathing...
Begin counting as you slowly breathe in, until your lungs are full. When you can’t take in anymore air, stop for a moment, don’t force the exhale, it will come naturally on its own. Now begin counting again until all the air has been expelled from your lungs. Do this slowly without force. Do this exercise for 3 minutes. We are so easily distracted these days, counting helps us to stay focused, which is to breathe in and out.
The more often you do this simple breathing exercise, the better you will feel. Eventually this method will come naturally, anywhere, anytime, while you’re stuck in traffic, in a long lineup, etc.
When we become angry or tense, we usually hold our breath. This is fine in the short term, but when this happens too often, we are damaging our health. By bringing awareness to our breath, we bring ourselves to this moment, therefore lessening the natural tendency to react to situations, rather than responding, which is a much healthier means of dealing with life in general.
Challenge yourself to do this mindfulness breathing for 5 minutes each day for the next 7 days.
These breathing exercises are also preparation for meditation practices which we will discuss in future postings.
Next, we will learn about “Alternate Nostril Breathing” or “Anuloma Viloma”.
If you have any questions or comments, you can write to me at: joeann@truepathyoga.com
Namaste
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