Hello and welcome,
My name is Leah Sugarman and this will be a very brief,
Quick diaphragmatic breath practice to create instant stress relief and ideally it will actually do just that,
It will really help to relieve stress immediately by focusing on the breath,
By targeting your diaphragm,
Your vagus nerve to help stimulate your relaxation response to move you into the rest and digest part of your nervous system.
So come to find any comfortable position for your body,
For most people that will be either seated or lying down,
And if you choose to sit then create length in your back body,
Root your sit bones down toward the earth and stretch the crown of your head up toward the sky.
If you're lying down,
Completely relax the weight of your body toward the ground.
Draw your right hand to rest over your belly and then relax your left hand over your heart.
Either soften your eyes or completely close them and bring your awareness inside.
Take a few moments to notice your natural breath.
Observe its pace and its rhythm.
Take note of its depth.
And on your next breath,
Breathe in deeply through your nose.
Inhale slowly through your nose.
Inhale deeply through your nose.
Exhale slowly through your nose.
Continue to breathe in and out through your nose.
And on your next inhale,
Draw breath in deeply all the way down to your chest and feel your left hand rise.
With an exhale,
Slowly release the air back out through your nose as your chest deflates and feel your left hand lower.
Inhale through your nose.
Breathe all the way down into your chest,
Feel your left hand rise.
Exhale slowly release the air back out through your nose as your left hand lowers.
This next time,
Breathe in so deeply that the air fills your lungs,
Lifts your left hand and moves all the way down towards your belly so your right hand rises.
Exhale slowly relax your belly,
Relax your chest as the air releases from your nose.
Inhale deeply,
Send your breath all the way down to lift your right hand.
Exhale slowly,
Reversing the way the air came in.
Lower your belly,
Your chest and then let the air release from your nose.
Inhale,
Draw breath in,
Fill your lungs,
Fill your chest,
Let it fill your whole upper cavity of your abdomen to reach all the way down towards your belly.
Exhale slowly lower your belly,
Your chest and release the air from your nose.
Continue breathing just like this.
Inhale deeply,
Exhale slowly.
Inhale deeply,
Exhale slowly.
Inhale deeply,
Exhale slowly and continue breathing in this way for as long as you would like.
Allow this simple practice to ground you to the present moment,
Move you into your rest and digest nervous system so that you can create instant stress relief.
Thank you for sharing your practice.
