When was the last time you really thought about your breath?
Are you aware of how the way that you breathe holds power?
This meditation focuses on deep breathing,
Exploring the power deep breathing holds to impact our nervous system.
Though the breath functions without us needing to think about it,
You can guide the breath proactively to impact your involuntary nervous system,
Also known as your autonomic nervous system.
There are three divisions to the autonomic system,
Two of which are the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.
The sympathetic nervous system governs our fight or flight response,
While the parasympathetic nervous system is known as our rest and digest system.
When the sympathetic nervous system is dominant,
Your breathing is fast,
Short and shallow.
When this system is in overdrive,
It can lead to chronic stress and anxiety.
On the other hand,
When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated,
You breathe slower,
Deeper and longer.
This system calms and soothes us,
Bringing balance when we feel stressed out.
Through specific breathing practices such as deep breathing,
You can decrease the sympathetic nervous system and increase the parasympathetic nervous system.
This shift can help to restore your sense of calm and presence.
The goal in most breathwork practices is to change certain qualities of your breath,
And the goal of this exercise is to focus on making your breath deeper,
Longer,
Quieter and slower,
As much as it's comfortable.
The more often you do this,
The more often you put the parasympathetic nervous system in the driver's seat,
Which calms the sympathetic nervous system.
So,
Let's try a short practice.
Begin by coming to a comfortable resting position.
If you're new to deep breathing,
It might be easiest to rest on your back.
You can close your eyes or keep them open,
And begin by taking a few breaths at an effortless depth and pace.
Place your hands on your belly now,
And as you breathe,
See if you can guide your breath to move as deep as possible,
As long as it feels comfortable to you.
Breathe with an intention to make your breath deeper,
Longer,
Quieter and slower.
You don't have to force your breath.
Let this exploration be gentle and gradual if you are new to it.
So,
Continue to breathe deeply for a few more breath cycles.
Excellent,
Well done.
Gently come back to your natural way of breathing.
So,
To recap,
You can use specific techniques of breathing to decrease your sympathetic nervous system and increase the parasympathetic nervous system.
In doing so,
You soothe the fight or flight response and bring more rest and tranquility to both your body and your mind.
The more often you do this,
The more often you put the parasympathetic nervous system in the driver's seat,
Calming the sympathetic nervous system in the process.
I hope this practice has been useful to you.
Thank you for your mindfulness.
