Are you holding your breath?
Wherever you are right now, stop. Are you aware of your breathing?
In every situation throughout your day - your breathing patterns have the potential to shift.
A letter arrives from the school you applied to..
Your boss calls you to his office, “we need to talk.”
Your daughter slips on the pavement and goes down hard on one knee…
You hold your breath. Wait for the unknown. Brace yourself. And all the while your body screams to take a nice deep inhale so it can process what is happening.
We all do it. We hold our breath. We wait.
For some of us, deep rejuvenating breaths are an alien concept. We breathe shallowly, never really emptying our lungs and replacing that stale air with fresh oxygen. If you have ever noticed tension in your shoulders and felt out of breath for no apparent reason - breath awareness practice is just what you need.
As we learn about the positive benefits of mindfulness (Read More..), i.e. paying attention to the present moment, many of us are looking for ways to practice presence.
One thing you can never go without is your breath. This means that any place, any time, you have everything you need to practice breath awareness.
Benefits of breath awareness
Encourages positivity
Helps with clarity and decision making
Supports mindfulness practice
Quiets negative thoughts
Boosts the immune system
Improves judgment
Increases energy
Helps relieve stress and anxiety
Now of course, we all know how to breathe. We do it automatically after all! But that automation is part of the reason that breathing leaves our awareness. To practice shifting your attention to your breath, you make an intentional decision to tune into yourself and to your body.
The purpose of this exercise is to become aware of your breathing. To notice your breath and how it feels in your body.
Watch out: When we practice, we refrain from judging the quality of the breath. We notice it but don’t berate or judge ourselves. Refrain from telling yourself: “This is stupid. Why can’t I take a deep breath? I must be bad at this…”
How to practice breath awareness
Find a seat in a quiet location. Get comfortable. Tell yourself and your body that you will be practicing awareness of breath.
Set a timer for two minutes. Trust me that will be a LONG practice when you are first starting out.
Close your eyes.
Start to notice your breath. Where do you physically sense the breath? Perhaps the edges of the nostrils. Perhaps in the rise and fall of your chest.
If your attention starts to drift (most likely it will), that is totally fine. Gently bring your attention back to the sensation of your breath. This is the only thing that matters right now.
You may wish to think of the words “inhale-energy, exhale-stress” and to match these phrases (or mantras) to your inhales and exhales.
Try not to control the breath. Let your body breathe normally. The point of this exercise is not to alter the breath, simply to notice it.
You did it! Pat yourself on the back. Fill yourself with the knowledge that in this short span of minutes you have done your body a great service.
You can practice this exercise any time: In line at the bank, waiting for your coffee to brew in the morning, on your lunch break… Practice whenever you are feeling stressed, scattered or low.
You will start to notice the benefits of breath awareness right away, but the benefits will build over time and with regular practice. Take two minutes today. For you. For your body. Breathe.
Written by Maeby Lopez, LMHC: Professional Organizer and Wellness Advocate
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