A Short Introduction To HeartMath, Heart-Focused Breathing

Introducing HeartMath to effectively manage breathing with heart focused breathing to regulate and encourage coherence. With simple techniques, counting breaths to devolop a state of calm, exercises that can be done anywhere and when needed, avoiding the shallow breathing of the stress response. The simplicity of choosing how to breathe.

Transcript

Hello, My name's Sheila. Going to do some heart math, Heart-based breathing, Little meditation to help you to self-regulate, To regulate yourself. The idea being to get getting your body in sync with itself. Which? If you regulate, If you manage your breathing. It really is very effective at doing that. So we're going to do something called eye-focused breathing. For a few minutes. And it's the first step in shifting yourself to a more coherent state. So that you're alert and you're calm at the same time. You're very conscious of what you're doing. I'm not suggesting we go into a deep meditative state. We're just practicing our heart-focused breathing. So focus your attention in the area of the heart. Imagine your breath is flowing in and out of your heart or chest area, Breathing a little slower and deeper than usual. I would suggest that you inhale for five seconds and exhale for five seconds or whatever rhythm is comfortable for you. So we'll just do it together a few times. Just breathing in and breathing out for five seconds. You can put your hand on your heart if you like. I like to do that. It keeps me centered and focused. You can close your eyes if you want, If you're in a safe position to do that, Or keep them open. It doesn't matter. Whatever suits you. And keeping your mouth closed, You don't have to open your mouth on the exhale, Just keeping your mouth closed. So we'll just do that. We'll breathe in for five. I'll just count you through a few of those breaths. Breathing in. Two, Three, Four, Five. Breathing out, Two, Three, Four, Five. Breathing in, Two, Three, Four, Five. Breathing out, Two, Three, Four, Five. Breathing in two, Three, Four, Five. Breathing out, Two, Three, Four, Five. You just carry on doing your breathing and I'll talk a little bit more about this heart-focused breathing. It can help you if you do this regularly. I mean, You can do this anywhere. You don't have to just be sitting down and meditating. You can be walking or doing something or talking to someone or in a meeting and be breathing in for five and breathing out for five. And you're regulating your body. You're managing your energy and you're beginning to build resilience. And doing this as well, If something happens, It startles you or upsets you. Anything like that. It can quickly reduce any feelings of anger or anxiety or dread or acute pain you might have. It calms any stress reactions and takes out some of the significance and drama in the moment. And as I say, You can be doing it, Just do it. Could be involved in anything, Doing, Listening, Walking, Watching, And you're taking your five deep breaths and breathing out for five. And you're calming your body down. It's getting you into a state of calm very easily and very effectively. And you can enjoy doing it as well. And perhaps in future little sessions here we'll breathe in and out for a longer period of time. We'll see how we go, But we'll start with five. And I hope you'll practice this now. And you'll enjoy doing it. Breathing in. Breathing light. Being conscious of your breath, Not allowing shallow, Bright breathing. Which can get you into a state of panic and not stop you feeling coherent, But managing your breath. Whenever you can, As often as you can, Managing your breathing. I'm just starting with that breathing in for five. Breathing out for five. Thank you for joining me on this. I hope to see you soon. Keep breathing. Keep on breathing, Getting yourself in a state of coherence.