Yes, you can!
Breath and mind are intimately connected. By consciously regulating the breath, you will directly impact your mind and nervous system, creating a profound ripple effect on your emotions and overall health. Nervous system imbalances like anxiety, overwhelm, unrelenting stress, chronic depression and hopelessness can take us down emotionally. Social media can make us feel like everyone is doing great or the world is on fire. Let’s be honest, it is tough out there right now, and by “out there” I mean that what is happening is impacting how each of us feel every day. As our emotions fluctuate, our outlook on life can be significantly influenced, and our nervous system becomes unregulated. We need to connect to something stable within, something we can regulate…our breath.
If we learn to connect to something deeper and more steady, then we feel more secure, resolute and grounded. This steady connection is a well we can draw from to sustain our resiliency, within ourselves.
Yoga and Ayurveda recognize these emotional fluctuations as imbalances that can be brought back to balance with breath. Current neuroscience refers to this as up or down regulating of our nervous system and acknowledges how the breath is a powerful regulator. Pranayama is the practice of yogic controlled breathing. Directed calmly and patiently, without force, pranayama will reduce anxiety, calm overwhelm, bring perspective to stressors, and create a sense of equilibrium. It is a powerful tool that can be harnessed for self-healing and mood management. Prana, refers to the Life Force and Yama is controlling it in direction and focus. Rooted in the 8 limbed path of Yoga as revealed by Patanjali, it is the 4th Limb offering a direct pathway to influencing the body's vital life force and promoting emotional balance.
These extraordinary breathing tools can lower or regulate blood pressure, improve digestion, and allow a shift in perspective, often providing an elevated understanding of a current situation. Most importantly these practices when done regularly are cumulative to your steady growth and harmony. These practices put the power of balance, calm and steadiness in your hands, not outside of you. You learn to control the fluctuations of your mind and body, and over time, you will notice profound changes. While we cannot change what happens outside of us, we can learn to manage what goes on inside of us.
Here are a few simple yet effective pranayama practices to help you feel better now. As with any yogic or Ayurvedic tool, please use your inner wisdom to guide you and understand that every practice may not be suitable based on individual health conditions.
ps. Another great way to learn even more tools to feel better, Self Mastery Deep Dive! In this course extensive practices are taught.
Deep Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing):
Sit or lie down comfortably.
Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.
Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to expand as you fill your lungs with air.
Exhale slowly through your nose, feeling your belly contract.
Focus on the movement of your breath and the sensation of relaxation.
Special Note: If you are not able to expand your belly, lie down and place a book or block on your low belly until you fully connect with the rising and falling of the belly. Often we are high chest breathers if you suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and we need to learn to move the breath deeper and engage the diaphragm. This act will begin to change your relationship with your breath, and you will begin to notice sensations possibly not felt before. Feel free to let out long audible sighs on your exhales, this also will aid in releasing stress, trauma and worry.
To Regulate Your Nervous System after Stress or Overwhelm: Same deep belly breathing but focus on Extending your Exhales to be at least half again or twice as long as your Inhale. Extending exhales, long and slow invites the Parasympathetic Nervous system response of Rest and Digest, and releases the Fight or Flight Sympathetic response. Living with constant stress and fear may incite the Sympathetic response to get “stuck” and practicing Extending the Exhales for at least 6-11 minutes 2 times a day will help to repair this imbalance.
Contraindications: If ever any pain is felt, stop this practice. Do not practice on a full stomach, after a meal or lying down on your back if heavily pregnant. Please use your inner wisdom to observe where you may feel any reason to halt this practice.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana):
Sit in a comfortable position with your spine straight.
Use your right thumb to close your right nostril and inhale deeply through your left nostril.
Close your left nostril with your right ring finger, and release your right nostril.
Exhale through your right nostril.
Inhale deeply through your right nostril, then close it with your thumb and release your left nostril.
Exhale through your left nostril.
Continue this alternating pattern for several rounds.
Special Note: Essentially you are inhaling and exhaling through each nostril and then switching. By doing so, the two main channels that carry Prana are alternating and balancing. We normally breathe through one nostril for a period of time and then our body will automatically switch to the other side. Some people may only be able to breath through one nostril primarily. The LEFT nostril elicits a calming, creative and grounding impact and the RIGHT nostril elicits an energizing, projective and problem solving impact. Neither are good or bad, they are contributing to our balanced well being when in synchronicity. If you cannot breathe in a particular nostril, try using a dab of Nasaya oil in your nose prior. Also, press only into the little area above the flare of your nostril, as this will allow it to reopen more easily. Avoid pressing the entire nostril shut, Further, you can lightly pull the skin outside the closed off nostril outward from the bridge of thenose, to aid in more air in that nostril while doing the technique. The benefits will feel subtle and doing this daily will increase your ability to handle stress and to remain steady.
Ujjayi Breath (Victorious Breath):
Inhale and exhale through your nose.
Gently engage the back of your throat slightly, creating a soft hissing or sighing sound in the throat.
This audible breath creates a soothing rhythm, similar to the sound of ocean waves or like you are scuba diving.
Focus on the sound of your breath as you inhale and exhale.
Special Note: The Victory here refers to the way your mind will be reigned in, become more focused and calm so that you can focus on what you are doing. During Yoga Asana practice Ujjayi breath harnesses scattered thoughts to help direct your concentration. Ujjayi helps to zero your focus, remind you to deepen your breath and steady yourself. In a yoga class it is phenomenally synchronizing when the class breathes together and energy is harnessed and directed. Try it on your mat and witness the unfolding of greater joy and a deeper, richer practice session.
Contraindications: Ujjayi can aggravate excess heat in the central channel, Sushumna and may actually create a mental and emotional imbalance. Be mindful to practice this Pranayama calmly, without excessive force and with guidance if you are new to it. The very direction we may be aiming towards can be distorted with malpractice.
Bhramari Pranayama (Bee Breath):
Find a comfortable seated position and close your eyes.
Close your ears with your thumbs and rest your fingers gently on your closed eyelids.
Inhale deeply through your nose.
Exhale slowly while making a humming sound like that of a bee with your mouth closed.
While you extend the exhale for as long as you can, Feel the vibrations in your head and the calming effect on your mind.
Special Note: Brahmari may calm your anxiety and panic attacks very quickly, provided you have practiced enough outside of an attack, so that when you feel things beginning to change rapidly, you can remember to engage Brahmari. Daily practice will help you to remember to do it when the need arises. Sometimes we may not be in a position where we can easily use this, perhaps in public or at work, however, attempt it if you can with a quieter humming and focus on the vibration. If you cannot place your fingers in your ears and on your eyes, then simply close your eyes. The humming is the essence of the practice, and the eyes and ears are beneficial if you can add that in. The benefit will still resonate regardless.
Contraindications: Brahmari should not be practiced during pregnancy or with high blood pressure, epilepsy, chest pain or active ear infection. Do not practice lying down. When using hand mudra, do not press onto eyeballs and you may press onto the flap in front of the ear opening, not placing fingers inside of the ears.
Sequenced Breathing 4-2-4-2 moving towards. 4-2-8-2
Using the Deep Belly Breathing or gentle Ujjayi, this simple breath attends to the Parasympathetic nervous system.
Inhale for 4, hold gently for 2, exhale for 4, hold exhale out for 2. Continue and work your way towards Inhale for 4, hold for 2, exhale for 8, hold out for 2.
Never force or allow the breath to reach any point of stress.
As you gain more mastery, you may move towards Inhale for 4, hold for 2, exhale up to 10, hold out for 2. Be relaxed, gentle and calm. Practice for at least 3-11 minutes.
Special Note: Practiced regularly this will help to lower blood pressure, increase our Parasympathetic response and deliver feelings of calm and composure. Increases Resiliency around stress.
Contraindications: Be mindful with high blood pressure to never stress the body. Pregnancy may be challenging physically, use discretion.
Idea for a Daily Morning Practice
Begin with a few minutes of deep belly breathing each morning to set center and ground.
Practice 3-6 Minutes of alternate nostril breathing.
1-3 Minutes of Bhramari pranayama to awaken creativity, orient the mind and set your day in motion.
Idea for Mid day Reminder
Use ujjayi breath when your concentration or energy is waning. During your yoga asana practice it will deepen your connection with the breath and body. Never with force or to the point of excessive heat in the body. There should be a lightness of being when done, not a sense of aggressiveness.
Sequenced Breathing during stressful moments, extending the exhales.
End of Day Practice
Sit or lie down with Deep Belly Breathing. 3-6 minutes to digest and sigh out the day. It is done.
Sequenced Breathing will also calm and release into Parasympathetic mode.
Consistently using Breath as a life changing tool will empower you to know yourself. Become intimate with your breath, the sounds you make, the way it feels and how significantly it can alter your mind, emotions, digestion and immunity!
Some extra helpful techniques are here.
I would love to learn of your favorite ways to breath, share your comments!
Compelling New Documentary on the Relevance of Ayurveda and Why It Matters Today!
I recently watched this captivating documentary on the profound healing journey of Amish, a young man plagued with health problems at the height of his successful and happy life. If you wonder what Ayurveda can do for you and you would like to see the world’s top Ayurvedic doctors and practitioners share this art and science, I highly recommend this movie. Right here in Santa Cruz, CA we are blessed with one of the top Ayurvedic colleges in the US and many in the film were my teachers. I completed my Board Certification in 2014 and continue to study. Take a moment to watch, I think it will be enlightening and inspiring. I feel like many of the comments said during the film have come out of my mouth in consultations. I was taught well! This practice works and reminds us that we cannot live separate from Nature and be in harmony and be well. Get inspired!
I have a few openings for new clients this fall, feel free to reach out.
Watch It Here!!!
Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu, May All Beings Be Free and Well
Love,
Denise