Take a Conscious Breath
Did you know that you have within you a powerful tool that if used with intention, can give you the ability to:
change the direction of any interaction between you and another;
shift the trajectory of any situation you may find yourself in;
transform the energy of any experience the world may throw at you?
No need to wish upon a star; no need to rub a genie’s lamp…because while the results of using this tool may seem miraculous, there is no magic wand needed. (Of course, if you would like to use one, this Wicked fan would encourage you to do so!)
So what is this wondrous tool that you don’t have to order, buy, purchase, or look outside of yourself to use?
My Dears, it is simply an awareness of your own breath.
Yes. Conscious breathing.
Boom.
A powerful and potentially life changing combination.
Yes, yes, I know, everyone in the self-help field is talking about breathwork right now.
Of course, I totally encourage the use of different breathing patterns to support health and well being.
You can do a basic Box Breath to calm down:
Inhale deeply into the belly for a count of 4;
Gently hold the breath for 4;
Exhale through your mouth easily for 4;
Hold again for 4;
Repeat at least 3 times.
You can do a 4-7-8 Pattern to help you fall asleep:
Inhale deeply for 4;
Hold for 7;
Exhale for 8;
Repeat at least 3 times.
There are so many methods to use breath to improve physical, mental, and spiritual health.
Alternate nostril breathing.
Holotropic Breathwork.
Wim Hof Method.
Pranayama.
Transformational Breathwork.
Shamanic Breathwork.
All of these techniques can be helpful and truly transformative.
Though, the truth is, you don’t have to learn any of them in order to change the quality of your life. Right now. This instant.
Here’s the miracle: all you need to do is have a touch of awareness and a little bit of forethought to remember to turn your focus toward the breathing you are already doing.
Most of the time, without awareness, we are driving on auto-pilot and simply reacting to the stressors of the world…and our breath is usually shallow and short enough to keep our physical bodies moving quickly and efficiently, keeping our nervous system in the sympathetic mode. Completely unconscious.
This is great for keeping us alive during stress, but not so great to foster connection, communication, creativity, compassion, calmness, curiosity, confidence, or clarity.
The instant you become aware that you are breathing; your physiology changes.
The second you pay attention to your inhale and exhale, you move out of reactivity, and into responsive-ness.
Just take a moment right now to take a Conscious Breath.
Stop.
Bring your focus in toward what it feels like physically to breathe in.
Notice your lungs filling up. Maybe your belly will rise too. Or not.
It’s all ok.
You don’t have to do anything, no need to change anything, just watch.
Then, watch yourself exhale.
No force, no pressure.
Don’t judge any of it.
Just observe.
Go a couple rounds and see what happens.
I will bet any amount that if you really tried this right now, you will notice a difference in how you feel.
Can you describe what you experienced?
The magic comes once you are on the other side of this Conscious Breathing tool.
Your awareness reminds you to stop and shift into noticing your breath. This combination uses consciousness (mind) and physiology (body) to create the pause needed to make a choice about how you want to respond to whatever is happening around you.
And it’s all within you!
You just need to remember the quality of your experience is up to you.
Stay conscious and breath….
Much love, Carol
