Every emotion is connected with the breath. If you change the breath, change the rhythm, you can change the emotion.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
I heard someone say that they recently saw a meme on social media that had their attention:
“if you’re the same person
coming out of the COVID quarantine
as you were going in,
you’ve wasted a major part of your life.”
Honestly,
we don’t need something as drastic as this pandemic
to give us the opportunity or “excuse” to become better.
But more than ever,
stress levels and anxiety are through the roof.
Why? Uncertainty.
But as along as we’re on certainty,
let’s talk about what can completely bring about more security
and reduce the fear of not knowing what we don’t know.
There is something so simple you can begin to do now
in order to change your life.
Science shows by doing this one thing,
you can:
Trigger your brain to grow
Improve heart rate variability
Improve stress levels
Decrease anxiety
Decrease constricting emotions
Lower blood pressure
Change the way you respond to stress
The secret?
Focus on your breath.
Here’s the plan.
Week 1: The easiest way to get started is to set a timer for five minutes and focus on your breath as it hits the back of your throat. Note the sensations and quality of your breath; do not add judgments (you’re not evaluating; you’re observing). Do this daily.
Week 2: Set a timer for 7.5 minutes and focus on your breath as it comes into your nose, down your trachea and into your lungs. Notice where in your body the balloon fills up and then deflates as you follow your breath back up and out of your mouth. Remember, you’re an observer, not an evaluator! Do this daily.
Week 3: Set a timer for 11 minutes and focus on your breath – specifically, this week, notice the space between each in-breath and out-breath. The moment right before the out-breath, and after each in-breath, is a space of magnificent silence. Notice the space between, and only that space. Simply note the space and how it begins to change each time you take a breath in. Do this daily.
Week 4: Set a timer for 18 minutes and notice the space behind your eyes. You may notice colors, sensations, feelings, images, symbols – the sky is the limit. Just notice what happens in the space behind your eyes for 18 minutes. Focus on how changes begin the more you breathe in and out. Do this daily.
Note: It’s completely natural for your brain to be resistant to this challenge. You’ll notice thoughts that pop up, feelings of agitation, frustration, or boredom come creeping in. No matter what, whatever you notice, acknowledge them and gently let them go (like watching helium-filled balloons floating away). Let them go over and over again – some days you’ll see more balloons than others, and that’s totally normal. The power in this exercise is your ability to let each one come and go.
Try it on for size. Make sure to note/journal how you feel before you start the four weeks, and how you feel after the few minutes of focusing on your breath at the end of four weeks (e.g., note on a scale of 1-10 how much stress, anxiety, patience, flexibility you feel on a day-to-day basis).
Let me know below some changes you begin to notice, and how quickly they happen!
Live with intention. Inspire with love.