In a fast-paced society,
We often find ourselves rushing from task to task,
Leaving us overwhelmed and anxious.
This constant busyness can lead to shallow breathing or worse,
Moments when our body stops breathing,
Only taking in air when absolutely necessary for survival.
This is what we call survival mode.
I mentioned that our body stops breathing because luckily,
Breathing is an automatic process and it's fortunate that our bodies breathe for us.
Otherwise,
Many of us might forget to breathe and the human race would probably be extinct by now.
Also,
Because breathing happens automatically without us having to think about it,
We don't notice when our breath becomes shallow,
Irregular or when we stop breathing.
Unlike other bodily functions like digestion,
We can directly influence our breath.
By doing so,
We can calm our mind and soothe our nervous system and that's exactly what we're going to practice now.
So,
Find a comfortable seat where your feet are firmly grounded on the floor.
Sit with a sense of dignity and ease as if you were a queen or a king.
The main thing is to keep your spine straight,
Allowing your lungs to fully expand.
Let your hands rest naturally on your lap,
Your belly or maybe over your heart.
We'll inhale through the nose to the count of five and exhale through the mouth,
Making a little sound of the wind to the count of five.
Let's begin.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five and continue like this on your own for three more rounds.
Thank you for taking this moment to breathe mindfully.
Remember,
You can return to this practice whenever you need to find a sense of calm and reset your day.
Namaste.