Tranquility Tuesday ~ Don't Wait to Exhale
We have traditionally been told that we can calm ourselves by taking a deep breath.
I don’t know about you but I’ve taken plenty of deep breaths during stressful times and it doesn’t seem to help. What does help is breathing out. The actual relaxation response associated with breathing comes with the exhale, not the inhale. It comes as we push stale carbon dioxide out of the body to make room for fresh new oxygen to come in. So, in order to calm ourselves, we need to make sure that our exhales are actually longer than our inhales. Counting to 6 while inhaling and counting to 8 while exhaling works well.
Place your hand upon your belly while taking measured breaths. This will help you experience the breath moving through you from a deeper place. Focusing on the chest area can cause rapid breathing, even anxiety. The belly, for women, is considered to be a power center. The area beneath our navel, below which lies our uterus, many believe to be the source of our body’s wisdom. The womb was our own source of life; our womb may have given life to others. Returning to this place of origination, focusing on it as the breath fills it, moves through it, can feel very centering and calming.
The breath, your breath, is sacred. The word, breath, actually comes from the source word spiritus—which translates as spirit. Cultivating a new understanding of breath as a spiritual gift, one that enlivens and nurtures us every day, can be life-changing. As you breathe intentionally for the purpose of inner calm, imagine that the Great Breath, the breath of the world, the Source of life itself, is breathing through you … calming you … restoring you to wholeness.
As you focus upon your breath, give thanks for it. This is a very calming action in itself. Your breath works effortlessly, day in and day out, to sustain and nourish you. It gifts you with precious life. Thank it for its generosity.
Inner calm is just a breath away. By following the pattern of your breath in this very moment, you need do nothing. Simply “be.”
Until next time …
May you be safe.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
Now, does your heart have anything to say?
I'm eager to hear ...
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12 comments:
Hi Jan,
I've always known to breathe to center, just never thought about the importance of the exhale. As I read your words though it occurs to me it makes sense because we are ridding our body of its buildup of 'toxic stuff'... Exactly what I do when I am waiting for an Answer, I clean space, release whatever it is I've been clinging to..whatever appears toxic or cluttered to me..to make room for new and different...
Jan, I needed to be reminded of this. Healing from my fall and other issues at the present time - exhaling is ridding my body of stuff and inhaling healing and peace - place my hand on my stomach as I breathe and do not focus on my chest.
My breath is one of the most precious gifts I have. It tells me when I am aggressive or gentle, and can change with intention. I especially loved your point about exhaling longer than inhaling.
This post was timely. I am working to exhale - Working to let go that much more... and yet, it seems odd to say that I am "working" to do this as the key is likely not working and just... relaxing.
Hi Jan,
A beautiful reminder to thank the most precious gift of our life-the breath!
I will think I am paying attention, and then I find myself holding my breath. It will help me to count longer on the exhale - that's a good tip.
Jan, thank you for the tele-conference Monday night. I took notes. Some of the 8 steps touched me deeply.
Hi Jan .. I'd always thought we must exhale more to get rid of the Co2 .. and perhaps my yawns show it! But that's the time scale too -
however .. as I'm settling down - another great tip from you & one I can do when I'm with my mother.
Thanks - lovely tipped filled tranquil post for Tuesday .. Hilary
Beautiful as always Jan. I was just now working on a guided meditation for a healing service Thursday evening (and took a break to stop by and say hello)...lengthening the exhale is a good point to emphasize, particularly for people who are new to meditation...and as a gentle reminder to all of us really. May we all be blessed with beginner's mind/heart again and again.
Hello lovely friends,
I am traveling a bit this week and often do not travel with a computer (thus my "absence".) It is a good way for me to take Sabbath time and take a break from technology. (Can't seem to access my e-mail either. Borrowing a friend's computer briefly...)
I am glad that exhaling has become a bit more important to each of you. I know for me when I learned the power of the out-breath it DID relax me more, but it also helped ease intermittent anxiety. It still does. Getting rid of all the CO2 buildup which comes in anxiety - mostly because we are gulping in air or breathing deeply "trying" to relax - is truly beneficial.
Others have told me that they feel as if focusing on exhaling is like "letting go and letting God." An act of surrender.
However it works for you, breathe on with ease!
Home soon!
Hi Jan! You are so right, breath is sacred and deep breathing, the exhale part, really does cleanse our body of negative energies on a body chemistry level. I used to think deep breathing was a good thing but wow, after my body chemistry class there is really more to it than I thought! It seriously is a de-tox!
hugs
suZen
Hi Jan,
Breathing is something that so many of us take for granted because we engage in it all the time without really having to think about it.
When I started my monastic journey, that was one of things we were taught to focus on...the power of the breath. And there were certain exercises we had to do in order to learn how to master it well. Turtles live a long time because they are breathe very slowly and deeply.
Which probably explains why every monk I know practically glows and looks half their age!
Love and blessings to you!
Great reminder, Jan. I love breathing, pranayama in yogic practice. Each morning, I practice kapalabathi, a series of forceful exhales - hunh! hunh! hunh! hunh! - that exercise the internal organs and clears out all kinds of stuff. As you advised, taking in long, deep, full breaths and then exhaling more slowly and fully until the lungs are completely empty and just squeeze a bit is so calming and feels so good.
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