Stressed? You Always Have the Perfect Remedy With You: Your Breath

Whenever you find yourself in tense or stressful situations, your breath probably becomes short and restricted. Maybe you hold it altogether!

This tightened breath creates tension in the body, and that, in turn, increases the stress you are experiencing.

Directing your awareness back to the breath and learning how to slow it down in the anxious moments is the most valuable thing.

Take a moment right now to notice how you’re breathing. Maybe you’re barely breathing and you didn’t even realize it! How does your body feel? If your breath is tight, your body probably feels the same way. They work interdependently.

No matter how you’re feeling right now, a deep round of breath always feels damn good. Do it now: deep breath in through your nose, complete breath out through your mouth. Make some noise on that exhale if you need to!

The next time you’re in a stressful situation, take a moment to bring your awareness away from your thoughts and back to the breath.

Back to the breath,

Back to the breath,

Back to the breath.

1. Breathe in and out of your nose.
2. Relax your tongue and soften your jaw.
3. Draw your breath down toward the bottom of your lungs, feeling them expand.
4. Exhale slowly, mindfully emptying the lungs.
5. Continue this slow, mindful breathing until you feel your mind steadying and your body beginning to relax.
6. For extra anxious situations, try adding a mindful pause between the inhales and the exhales. Notice the simple peace that rests in between the doing.

Every time you inhale, you have the opportunity to invite in more of what you need. And every time you exhale, you have the choice to send out more of the love our world needs.

Breathing is a divine miracle and a responsibility.

That mantra, “inhale the good shit, exhale the bullshit” doesn’t make any sense to me. Where are you exhaling that bullshit to? Who’s going to absorb it? Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be altered. Don’t leave your shit for someone else to fix. Or think of it this way: don’t put even more bullshit out into the world.

Be the magical alchemist that you are and change that bullshit into something useful and healing - for yourself and all beings. When that’s extra tough and you need help, ask the earth.

She knows how to transform mud into a lotus and she’ll show you how.

How did you feel before this mindful breathing exercise? How do you feel now? Let me know in the comments!

X,

Rachel