The week started innocently enough. Pretty soon though, I was telling clients and friends alike:
Breathe. Take a deep breath in. Deep into your belly. Hold it a few moments. Now let it out slowly. Do it again. Deep breath in…hold… let it go…
And I get them to do it at least three times. Often I will actually breathe along; leading and setting the pace.
Breathing tells your body to relax. It gets oxygen into your lungs, into your bloodstream and into your brain. It helps you calm down. In a calmer state, you are more able to look at whatever the situation is and less likely to do something you regret down the line. Also, you are able to get on with what’s right in front of you, the task in hand that requires your attention. Otherwise your attention is tied up with your mind’s wanderings, especially if there is a situation you are upset or fearful about.
Sometimes we are unsettled for no reason whatsoever or at least nothing that makes sense to us.
Sometimes you just feel spacey. Like my friend who has had very vivid dreams and are struggling to figure out what’s real and what’s not.
So breathe. Whenever you feel stressed, doubt your ability to cope, or simply out of sorts, just breathe deeply into your belly, hold it for a few seconds and let it out. And as you breathe, relax all the muscles in your body. Scan your body for areas of tension and tell those muscles to relax. Continue breathing as you focus on the area of tension. As it relaxes, move on to the next area. Come on, don’t fight it. Don’t deliberately hold tension in your body. Let it go.
A variation on this is to stand firmly, taking your weight evenly on both legs, feet hip width apart and firmly planted. As you breathe out, imagine roots growing from the soles of your feet going deep into the ground, into Mother Earth. And as you breathe in, imagine drawing in fresh energy and love from Mother Earth. Every time you breathe out, imagine those roots going deeper and deeper. And every time you breathe in, feel the fresh energy coursing through you and the love from Mother Earth enveloping you.
The wise ones on this earth talk about 2012, energetic changes that are taking place, the end of the Mayan calendar and a new dawn for the evolution of human consciousness. So you may well experience energy shifts and wondering what is going on. Breathing deeply will help to keep you centred and balanced. Drinking lots of water will help too, as will focusing on the task at hand and accepting things as they are, allowing them to be. Do that with thoughts and circumstances. Be compassionate with yourself. Be the love that you are – to yourself and to others.
And always remember: You are loved, so loved.
Wishing you Love, Laughter and Peace for a joyous festive season.
A Gift for you: Download this mp3 and follow along as I talk you through the exercises. RIGHT CLICK HERE
Photo Credit: Anatoli Styf
