Do Yoga, Skip the Rest. ™
When we practice yoga daily, even for just a short time, our mind is resting, relaxing and we are tuning into our bodies. We are breathing in fresh oxygen and exhaling out stale breathe. Naturally, most of us by nature are shallow breathers. You often hear about drinking enough water for the day, but how about this question to ponder:
“Are we breathing deep enough? Are we breathing slow steady breaths each hour? Are we walking upright toward the sky with our crown reach up as we stack the platforms of our body correctly? Are we receiving enough fresh oxygen to fill our bodies with a calming mental boost, immediately impacting our nervous system?
Take time to breathe deep each hour, even if it’s just weaving in one long mindful breath. Make it a mental habit to breath deep every hour if you can, so that way the attention is coming back to breath and body.
I hope you take time to find your breath, cultivate your breathing and learn how to breath deep each day. Here are three suggestions for breathing deeper each day:
- In the morning, do breathwork when you arise. Make a five-minute pact to breath in five to six breaths before the day begins.
- Midday, when may be working or running errands, or maybe you are at home working, take one mindful breath when you stand up from a chair or your desk. Slow your world down in one breath by finding a slower moment to build that breath awareness.
Why should we do this? Building breath awareness will help our immune system stay stronger and also aid our nervous system. Shallow breathing for too long can leave us feeling anxious and light headed.
- Breathe deep at night five or six breaths at home or maybe it’s in your car. These five breaths in the evening help set the tone for the rest of the hours in the day.
It’s never too late to reach in for the power of breath and discover what we need the most, which is peace of mind every day, helping us feel calmer and more relaxed. I will round of this write here at YogaSkip with the words from the first lady of yoga, Indra Devi:
Like water which can clearly mirror the sky and the trees only so long as its surface is undisturbed, the mind can only reflect the true image of the Self when it is tranquil and wholly relaxed.
Take time to cultivate more time for breathing deep and watch your world change.
Namaste,
Machel
P.S. Click here for a breathwork video as an example. These eleven breaths are just the beginning of building a budding awareness to our inner soul life, too. I hope you have a bounce in your step today and you try breathing these eleven breaths.
