Breathing. The life force of our being. How we all take for granted the beautiful rhythm of our breath. When we are hurried or under stress, we tend to hold our breath and in turn lose vital energy. Let’s take a couple of moments to focus on our breath and hopefully find ourselves a little more relaxed, refreshed and energized.
You may want to sit in a Lotus position, seated on the floor cross legged, if you are able to. Or you can choose to lie down on a blanket, towel or mat. You can even practice the following if you are seated at your desk. You may also want to consider practicing this at bedtime to help you fall calmly to sleep.
Ideally you will practice the following in a room that is comfortably warm, without any noises or distractions. And an empty stomach is preferable so that digestion does not interfere.
You may also want to first read the following once through before starting so that you can practice it on your own with your eyes closed. You can use this as a guideline, or morph it into your own relaxation practice.
You will decide what works best for you. Take whatever amount of time you would like to practice the following, and practice it as frequently as you feel the need to do so.
The following exercise is very mild. It’s more of a meditation practice. However, as always, check with a physician before taking on any new physical activities.
Imagine
Imagine yourself sitting in front of a beautiful ocean on calm day with the sun comfortably warming your body…the air is fresh, clean and inviting. Everything is still and peaceful except for the sound of the waves slowly coming in and going out…slowly coming in and going out…slowly coming in and going out.
You become more and more relaxed as you take in the steady calm. So peaceful, so freeing, so natural. Continue to listen to the hush of each wave…slowly coming in and going out. The sound of the waves influence your calm state of being.
Allow yourself to be in a complete state of relaxation. You feel as if you could drift off into a gentle slumber.
Your breath is synchronous with each wave as it slowly comes in…and goes out. You can think of your breath as the ocean waves. Slow down your breathing and begin taking deep breaths as the ocean does. As you breath slowly and deeply, you are cleansing, relaxing and calming the mind, body and spirit.
Notice how the ocean waves never stop. It is a reminder that the breath is continuous and constantly replenishing our needs. With each exhale, you will leave behind any unwanted tension, and with each inhale you will bring in a state of relaxation along with a supply refreshing new energy, ready for you when you need it.
Stay with your eyes closed for a few moments. Take the time you need to slowly resume back to your activities. Be calm, relaxed and refreshed.
Namaste. .