Welcome to Day 4.
Today we are going to discuss the power of the breath.
There is immense power in the breath.
It may be the single most effective way to regain control over systems in our body that are unbalanced.
As we've been discussing,
After trauma our sympathetic nervous system,
This is our fight or flight,
Danger detection system,
Is way too active.
Even worse,
This system is beyond our conscious control.
It is reflexive,
Like when the doctor hits your knee with a reflex hammer.
But the good news is we do have control over other systems,
Like our breathing,
That indirectly influence this fight or flight response.
This meditation has two major benefits.
The first,
It continues to improve interception,
The ability to be in tune with the way emotions manifest in your body.
And second,
Breathing through the diaphragm this way activates our body's natural relaxation system,
Also known as the parasympathetic nervous system.
If you're not familiar with diaphragm breathing,
See my meditation titled Diaphragm Breathing Basics.
Research studies conducted on this technique showed improvement with self-regulation and sense of well-being,
Better emotional balance,
Increased ability to stay in the present moment,
And increased ability to focus.
We're about to begin,
So take a moment to get comfortable either sitting or lying down.
You may close your eyes if you're comfortable doing so.
Begin by bringing your attention to the breath.
Do not change it in any way,
Just observe.
Notice the sensations as you breathe in,
And then back out.
Take a few moments to focus on the bodily sensations that accompany each breath.
Now,
Bring both your hands to rest on your abdomen.
Note how the palms of your hands feel against your belly.
Bring your full attention to the sensations on the palm of your hand.
Now,
Begin engaging in diaphragm breathing.
On the in-breath,
Feel your stomach fill with air.
On the out-breath,
Feel it deflate like a balloon.
Take a minute to focus in on the rising and falling of your stomach as you keep your hands rested on your belly.
Shift your awareness now to the quality of your breath.
Are you breathing slow,
Or fast,
Or somewhere in between?
Does this belly breathing feel smooth or awkward,
Or somewhere in between?
Is each breath deep or shallow,
Or somewhere in between?
Take another minute to notice any of the qualities of your breath.
Next,
Bring attention to the air coming in around your nostrils.
Notice the coolness as you breathe in,
And maybe the slight heat as you breathe out.
See if you can notice how the in-breath makes your body feel.
See if you can feel the slight,
Or sometimes dramatic,
Invigoration that happens on a deep in-breath.
Breathe in,
Feeling this extra oxygen enlivening your body.
Now take note of the deep relaxation that occurs on the out-breath.
Feel with each out-breath your body becoming more and more relaxed.
Feel all your muscles unwinding.
Visualize the in-breath bringing new energy.
Visualize the out-breath ridding your body and mind of toxins.
For the last two minutes,
Visualize new life being brought in,
And the waste being carried away.
At the end of the two minutes,
You will hear the sound of the bell.
