Connecting With Your Inner Voice Through Breath

In this episode of Ipek & Tara’s Threads of Light, Ipek and Tara explore how mindful breathing can activate intuition. They guide you through the 4-7-8 breathing technique to calm the nervous system and create space for your inner voice to emerge. Tune in to discover how simple breathing practices can help you connect with your intuition and navigate decisions with clarity.

Transcript

Welcome to Ipek and Tara's Threads of Light, A talk series that illuminates the path to a brighter and more meaningful life. Join us as we set sail on a journey of self-discovery, Transformation, And shared wisdom. Greetings. I'm deeply inspired today to be talking with Ipek about connecting with our inner voice through the breath. Having tools and techniques that help us get centered opens our channels to wisdom. The breath is one of many somatic techniques to explore, And today we can try this exercise to begin our journey. So let's consider this quote as we experiment. Inhale the future, Exhale the past, Author unknown. Thank you, Tara, For such a lovely introduction and this beautiful quote. I'm truly excited about exploring this fascinating topic today. We are talking about how breathing can be a gateway to activating our intuition and how the simple act of mindful breathing can help us connect more deeply to our inner voice. It's something I have experienced in my own life and it's incredible how it really works when you pay close attention to your body. Now when it comes to activating our intuition, One of the simplest yet most powerful ways to begin is through conscious breathing. So Tara, I would like to invite you to experimenting with me and I will guide you through a breathing technique that is specifically designed to calm the nervous system and activate our connection to our intuition. This is the 4-7-8 breathing technique developed by Dr. Andrew Vail. It's a simple yet incredibly effective tool to help reduce anxiety and bring clarity. So are you up for that, Tara? Can we do that? Absolutely. Okay. Here's how it goes. We're going to inhale deeply for a count of four, Slowly filling lungs, Letting our belly and chest expand. Hold for a count of seven, Feeling the stillness in our body as we pause with the breath. And then we will exhale slowly for a count of eight and that will help us let go of any tension or stress. And as we exhale, We will visualize the release of all that no longer serves us, Creating more space for intuitive insights to flow. And it's such a grounding practice and a wonderful way to tune into your body. At the end of this exercise, I'd like you to ask your intuition on how to proceed on that specific topic, Whatever that is that you have in mind. This breathing technique focusing on the diaphragm and belly is a direct way of connecting to the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in calming the nervous system and connecting our bodies to our brains. It is directly involved in activating our intuition. So I'm giving this information beforehand, Before doing this exercise, So that you come into the practice knowingly, Tara. And when we consciously breathe, Especially in this way, We engage the diaphragm, Which sends signals to the vagus nerve. And this sends calming messages through our body, Helping us to relax and center ourselves. And this relaxed state creates space for our intuition to come through more clearly. One of the things I love most about this practice is how it helps us slow down. It's like pressing the pause button for a moment, Allowing our mind and body to be in sync. And when we are rushed, Overwhelmed, Or stressed, When it's harder to hear that subtle inner voice, This is a really great practice to bring it up, To create space and to come back to our inner voice. And when we slow down, When we focus on our breath, We are not only calming our body, But we are making room for our intuition to show up. Though first, I'd like you to think about something that you need to make a decision on, Tara. Think of something. And then, When you decide what it is, We can start practicing. For a set of four, We will go through the process four times together. Inhaling for four, Holding for seven, Exhaling for eight. Okay, Let's begin. And then, Inhale for a count of four, Hold for a count of seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One, And exhale for a count of eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One. And now, Again, Inhale for a count of four, Hold for a count of seven, And exhale for a count of eight. We will do two more times. Inhale for four, Hold for seven, And exhale for eight. And the last time, Inhale for four, Hold for seven, And exhale for eight. And now, Tara, I'd like you to notice how you feel after this exercise, And ask your intuition about the decision you wanted to focus on. And please share with us what you are experiencing. Our audience, If you also practiced with us, Pause and listen to your body, Your intuition. How does your body feel when you use these breathing techniques? Do you notice a shift in your mind or a deeper sense of clarity in your intuition? But I only have Tara with me at the moment who can answer that question. We are listening to you, Tara. Thank you, Ipek. You know, With such a short amount of time, But being guided to be so deeply present, It really does allow you to calm the mind. I didn't feel or notice that I was thinking about other things at the same time. I was truly just doing, Well, I wasn't doing, I was being. And it amazes me because the breath is always there with us, And we can really harness it with the guidance that you gave. For me, I have had a thought about something, Not necessarily a decision, But an intention. And when I was doing the breathing, I noticed, Without forcing my thinking, That I just started releasing doubts on the exhale. So anything that I was considering or intending, Whatever it is, And there's many different things, Not just one, Is to just release doubts. So when things come up that I am considering, My intention is to release doubts and just believe and trust. I really enjoyed it, And I feel like I might, You know, Want to have a guided experience daily for that grounding. And once again, The breath is always there, So we can harness it, I guess, Is another thought that came to my mind, Is using our own biological capabilities to calm ourselves and get clarity. And so my intention is to continue working with the breath to receive additional intuition and shape my own future visioning exercises. So thank you for the opportunity to have that guidance. I really did enjoy it. Oh, I'm so happy to hear that, Tara. Thank you. And thank you for sharing your wonderful reflections. You know, Breathing like this, As you said, Helps reset our nervous system, And it makes it easier for us to hear our intuition without interference from external distractions. And as you said, Letting go of doubt, Surrendering, Or feeling safer, It helps with that too. The magic of this and similar breathing techniques lies in their simplicity. It is so easy yet impactful. By engaging in these practices, We allow ourselves to enter a state where intuition can surface. Whether it's through the gentle, Calming act of deep belly breathing, Or the more structured 4-7-8 pattern, We are fostering a deeper connection to our inner voice. So yes, It has been a beautiful practice, Tara. Thank you for being game to do that with me. And as we close today's episode, I'd like to remind everyone who listens to us that intuition is not a distant concept. It's already within you, Ready to be activated through mindful practices like breathwork. Let us leave you with an affirmation. With each breath, I deepen my connection to my intuition. Take a moment to feel that affirmation resonate with you, Knowing that every time you connect with your breath, You are activating your intuition and guiding yourself toward clarity. Thank you for listening. We hope you found this episode insightful. If so, Please share it with others. Until we reunite under the cosmic embrace of our next episode, May your days be filled with the brilliance of your unique light. Take each step with purpose and let the threads of light guide you.