Grounding Breath — Belly Breathing

Most of us breathe primarily from the chest, especially when we are stressed, making our nervous system alert and activated.

Belly breathing — or diaphragmatic breathing — shifts that pattern. When the diaphragm descends on the inhale and the belly expands, the vagus nerve is stimulated, signalling safety to the nervous system. It is one of the most grounding things you can do with your body.

It also brings you back into your body when your mind has been running the show. The sensation of the breath in the belly is an anchor, something real, physical, present. You cannot be fully in your head and fully in your belly at the same time!

Transcript

Welcome to this short grounding breath belly breathing practice. It is ideal for strengthening your present moment connection to use when you feel disconnected or in your head or just need a chance to land. So find a comfortable position, Either sitting down or lying down. And bring your left hand on your chest and your right hand on your belly, Just sort of below your navel. And for a moment, Just notice your natural breath and see if you can decide which of your hands is moving more, The one on your chest or the one on your belly. No judgment, Just notice. Because for most of us, When we are stressed, Even in our normal state, We breathe primarily from the chest. And that is more shallow, Often a bit faster, And sort of high up in the body. And that actually keeps our nervous system alert and activated. So it's just sort of stuck in that low-grade fight or flight. On the other hand, Belly breathing, Or that diaphragmatic breathing, Shifts that pattern. So when we use the diaphragm and it descends on the inhale and the belly expands, We are stimulating the vagus nerve and that parasympathetic nervous system, So that rest and digest system, And that signals safety to our bodies. And this is why belly breathing is one of the most grounding techniques you can do. Really quickly. It also brings you back into your body when your mind has been running the show. And that happens to us all the time. In a society where we are paid to live in our heads and so we forget that we have a body that also has needs. So coming back to the sensation of the breath in the belly, Can be this beautiful anchor, Something real, Physical, Present. It can't really be in your head and also fully feel into your body at the same time. So let us breathe together. Breathing in slowly through the nose and directing the breath down all the way to your belly. Feel the hand on your belly rise with your inhale, While the hand on the chest stays relatively still. As you exhale, Feel the belly fall, Maybe even gently contract it just to get that going. Inhale into the belly, Let it fully expand. And exhale, Softening the belly, Gently releasing. Let's do a few more times together. Inhale all the way into the belly. Fully expand. And exhale, Softening and gently release. One more time, In deep into the belly. And exhale from the belly. Continue at your own pace for a few more rounds. Just allow each breath to drop you just a little deeper into your body and strengthening that connection and anchoring you into your own body and into the present moment. And when you've completed a few more cycles, Just allow yourself to come back to your natural breathing rhythm. Bring your hands to now just rest by your side and feel into your body. See if anything has shifted and for a moment feel where you're making contact with the floor the chair so just really feel gravity working you here and just notice the solidity of this that actual supporting it's really holding you up You are here in this present moment, Grounded and connected to your body. Let us just take one slow breath in and a full out together to close our practice. And carry this with you and know that you can come back to this practice at any time, Just to ground yourself a little more and drop into your body. Bye for now.