When you are waking up in the morning and you aren’t even out of bed yet, even if you are running late, you could just look out and drop the story line and take three conscious breaths. Just be where you are! When you are washing up, or making your coffee or tea, or brushing your teeth, just create a gap in your discursive mind. Take three conscious breaths. Just pause. Let it be a contrast to being all caught up. Let it be like popping a bubble. Let it be just a moment in time, and then go on.
Pema Chödrön
As mentioned in this post about the power of the breath:
When we can learn to calmly control the breath with gentle pranayama practices, we have a better chance at remaining much more at ease with the breath; of working with it rather than anxiously anticipating it; of harmoniously communicating with it instead of moving through our day as though it’s a disconnected lifeline.
This, among many other reasons, is why prana in the word for breathwork – pranayama – translates as “life force.” The breath is in fact a force that gives us life.
There are many different kinds of pranayama practices – it is very important to start slow and not create a sense of dizziness or shortness of breath. Over time you can build up to more challenging breathwork practices, which – like the physical practice of yoga asana – can be met with more ease when we have a steady foundation on which to build.
I invite you to experiment with a few simple yet effective breathwork exercises to enhance the overall wellbeing of your body and mind:
physical touch
- Place your hands gently onto your belly for one breath cycle, then each side of your rib cage for one breath cycle, then on your chest for one breath cycle, repeating anywhere from 1 to 5 times.
- When finished, breathe normally for a few cycles of breath with your hands on your lap before opening your eyes, remaining conscious of how you can breathe expansively into your palms and perhaps feeling the imprint of where they were.
- If you have a partner and you both feel comfortable with it, you can practice this together in savasana – final resting pose – or child’s pose: one person is lying on their back with arms and legs extended or in child’s pose with their backs exposed, and the other places their palms softly on/near each area for one cycle of breath (if one person is in child’s pose, the other person can place the hands on lower back / back side ribs / shoulder blades). You can also practice breathing with them as they breathe. This is a nice bonding exercise and a lovely way to witness the breath by seeing it in someone else.
sama vritti / same or equal breath
- Close your eyes, or choose a similar gazing point.
- Inhale regularly, then exhale for a slow count of 3, inhale for a slow count of 3…
- Continue to breathe evenly on the inhale and the exhale, picking a length and pace that works for you.
- Repeat for as long as you feel comfortable.
- Finish a count of 3 on an inhale, and breathe normally on the exhale.
viloma / 3-part breath
- Find a tall and comfortable seat.
- Inhale regularly, and exhale completely before you begin.
- Inhale partly into the belly and pause, then partly into the rib cage and pause, then partly into the chest and pause.
- Breathe out calmly through the nose to empty the breath.
- Repeat the 3-part inhalation through the nose for 1 to 5 minutes.
- Finish the 3-part inhale before breathing normally out through the nose.
- Pause and consider the same practice on the exhalation – inhaling normally, and letting the exhale come out of the belly, then the ribs, then the chest, then pausing before a normal inhale and continuing for a few cycles like that.
- If you have a partner, you can sit back to back to practice breathing together and physically feel the gentle wavelike movement of the breath from another.
Take a moment to notice how you’re feeling now – there’s not a right or wrong answer. Perhaps even take a few minutes to journal about the experience.
Most importantly – thank yourselves for being curious to learn about yourself in this way; for taking the time to explore new practices that help you cultivate calm physically and mentally.
I encourage you to try one of these practices this week and see how it feels for you – see if you can stick with it for one to four weeks as a personal wellbeing experiment.
What might you try this week, and how might one of these practices benefit your body and mind in your day-to-day life?
Read the newsletter for details on an upcoming workshop and retreat in France, live and on demand virtual yoga and meditation classes, one of my favorite spring-inspired cookie recipes, mindful living tools and discounts, and good vibes.
Take good care of your Selves and each other,
xo
S
Photo: Fontainebleau, France / March 2022.
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