- Do nothing
The meditation example I will discuss here is centered around breath
cycles. Literally all you will do is breathe; no other requirement.
Do nothing other than breathe consciously! Instead of ‘doing’
depression, or anxiety, or destructive and unwelcome behaviours,
do absolutely nothing...just breathe. That’s it: just breathe. You may
find this a great challenge, or you may not...you may find this easy.
Just breathe. - You breathe between 12-20 breaths a minute
Athletes breathe more slowly yet have better respiratory function.
When you slow down how many breaths a minute you are taking,
you manage your CO2 and oxygen levels better, and also your
emotions. You flood your brain with dopamine, serotonin, and
endorphins. Your brainwaves will change as a consequence too,
in a positive way. Changing your breathing speed will change your
thoughts and subsequently your emotional state. In other words,
your mental health. - The fourfold breath meditation
Pranayama, a term familiar to most yogis, is a set of breathing cycles
that has been studied and practiced for thousands of years. Science
is beginning to study – and accept – its effects, too. I’m sure there will
come a day when science and mysticism blend as one to give proof
of what works and what does not! This technique will help to calm
both your mind and your body.
Simply count as you take a breath in. The time is four seconds. To be
consistent, it helps to count like this: ‘1 and 2 and 3 and 4’ in your head.
Sit or stand up straight. Head up. Look up to your right (this will release
serotonin) and wiggle your toes as this will activate a neurological path
from your childhood. Children wiggle their toes when learning at a high-
performance rate. Place your tongue behind your teeth (this will reduce
the chatter in your head) and take a deep breath in through your nose
and out through your mouth with an ‘Ahhhhhh’.
FM
Now, breathe in through the nose with a ‘1 and 2 and 3 and 4’.
Hold your breath using the same ‘1 and 2 and 3 and 4’. Breathing out
through the nose, ‘1 and 2 and 3 and 4’. Hold it to the same count, ‘1
and 2 and 3 and 4’. Keep repeating the cycles. Start with five minutes
if you can and build up to 15 minutes as you get more accustomed to
the practice.
It’s not as easy as it seems, especially over a longer period of
time, but start with a few minutes and build up from there to get
the benefits.
You may find you start feeling very hot, sweaty, or struggle to
maintain a simple count. Stick with it. The benefits are worth it. Do,
however, stop if you find yourself struggling to breathe.
Breathing holds great power in altering our emotional state.
Once you are efficiently breathing with ease, you can explore more
of the world of breathing and the relationship it has to your
emotional wellbeing.Garry Jones is a
transformational coach,
martial arts master,
international speaker and
an author and co-author. His
new book, A Life Without
Fear, provides practical
tools to take control and
release feelings of fear,
despression and anxiety. Visit:
garryjonescoaching.com“Everything comes back to your breathing, it’s integral to life.”