Welcome back.
Today we'll be diving into the rhythmic practice of ocean breathing,
Inspired by the air and flow of the ocean waves.
It's very good to use this breath to help you calm down.
But before we begin let's take a moment to talk about the parasympathetic and the sympathetic nervous system.
Our nervous systems are like a control center in our body.
They decide how we will respond to stress and relaxation.
And the parasympathetic nervous system is like our body's rest and digest.
It helps us relax,
Restore and recover.
And on the other hand the sympathetic nervous system is our body's fight or flight response and that gets activated in times of stress and danger.
Think of your nervous system like a seesaw with two sides keeping you balanced.
Let me share with you a little analogy to help you understand this.
Imagine you're being chased by a bear in the woods.
Your sympathetic system kicks in and you're like a superhero.
You're getting ready to fight or flee.
It's like pressing the gas pedal in your car,
Revving up your body for action.
Your heart rate speeds up,
Your muscles tense and your senses sharpen.
This is your body's way of preparing for danger and helping you to survive.
The parasympathetic system is the opposite though.
Imagine now you've been outrun by that bear.
You found a cozy cabin to hide in.
Your parasympathetic system takes over like a gentle caretaker helping you to calm down and relax.
It's like easing off the gas pedal and applying the brakes.
Your heart rate slows down,
Your muscles relax and your digestion kicks in.
This is your body's way of conserving energy and restoring balance after the adrenaline rush of the chase.
Prolonged activation in the sympathetic system can lead to feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion and ocean breathing,
Which I'm going to share with you in just a moment,
Is a rhythmic breathwork practice that helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system so therefore helps you relax and calm.
This practice allows you to release tension and stress,
Restoring balance to your nervous system and allowing you to navigate life's challenges with grace and ease.
So let's begin this practice now.
Finding yourself a position of comfort and ease,
Closing your eyes and imagine now that you are sitting by the shore.
You feel the gentle breeze against your skin and you listen to the soothing sounds of the ocean.
As you inhale,
Imagine the wave rising and as you exhale,
Imagine the wave receding.
As it recedes,
It carries away any tension or stress with it.
I'm beginning now to deepen your breath,
Inhaling through your nose and as you exhale,
Open the mouth and breathe out through an open mouth.
It will sound a little like this.
You're breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
In and out.
Out.
In.
And out.
Breath in.
Breath out.
And continue this rhythmic breath going at a pace that works for you.
And surrender to this present moment.
There's nothing to do now.
Just sitting,
Observing the breath.
Deeply inhaling.
Exhaling,
Releasing.
Breathing.
Breath coming and going.
Breath in.
And breath out.
By directing your focus to the breath,
You're diverting attention from the ongoing chatter of thoughts,
Allowing them to gently release,
Dissipate,
Letting go.
Breath in.
And breath out.
Breath in.
And out.
Body relaxing.
Letting go.
Relaxing the head or muscles of the face,
The shoulders,
Down the arms,
To the hands,
Fingers,
And thumbs.
Down the torso.
Relaxing the back and the front of the body.
Legs softening.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankles.
Feet.
And toes.
If you haven't already,
Breath returning to its usual pace.
Observing how you feel in the mind,
In the body.
And gently opening the eyes.
Thank you for joining me with this ocean breath today.
If you'd like to listen to this track as a standalone track,
Just head to my profile.
Tomorrow I'll be introducing you to step breathing.
My students find this very useful and I hope you do too.
We'll also be talking about how long we should practice.
If you've got any questions in the meantime,
Please do let me know.
This is Sandhya.
See you again.
