It's okay to be anxious.
It's a normal response to situations that are new or challenging.
The physical symptoms can be unpleasant though and vary from person to person.
A common one is the feeling of tightness in the chest brought on by muscle tension and faulty breathing patterns.
Here I'm going to share with you the beauty of abdominal breathing,
Which is simply the art of breathing deeply into your middle.
Some people call that the gut or the belly.
And there are many benefits to deep breathing,
From decreasing stress to increasing calm and more.
But it's best for you to find out for yourself.
So I invite you now to find a comfortable position,
Sitting with your feet resting on the floor.
Either close your eyes or lower your gaze,
Whichever you prefer.
Notice how you are feeling.
Notice how you are feeling.
When you are ready,
Breathe out for one breath to reset your natural breathing pattern.
Now take a deep breath in up through your nose and allow it to go down into the depths of your lungs.
Then through your mouth,
Just breathe out gently as if you are blowing out a candle.
This will help you to get a better grip on your breathing.
This abdominal breath allows the tightness in your chest to begin to dissolve.
So now you know the practice,
Let's repeat.
Take a deep breath in up through your nose and allow it to go down into the depths of your lungs.
Then through your mouth,
Breathe out gently as if you are blowing out a candle.
Repeat again.
Take a deep breath in up through your nose and allow it to go deep,
Deep down into the depths of your lungs.
Then through your mouth,
Breathe out gently as if you are blowing out a candle.
Keep repeating this until you feel the tightness in your chest release and a sense of calm returning.
When you are ready,
Let your breath return to its normal rhythm and notice how you are feeling.
So there you have it,
An abdominal breathing exercise helping to dissolve the tightness in your chest and calm your nervous system.
Thank you for listening,
I'm Hilary Hart.
Namaste.
