Shannon Emary

Chaos to Calm in 5 Minutes

Panic, stress, anger, sadness, overwhelm... these feelings are probably resonating with you on a new level this year (is 2020 over yet!?). You do not have to let these feelings dictate your decisions. When you base your decisions based on how you feel in a negative state, it can lead to negative outcomes. This may be the cause of the exact opposite reaction of what you wanted to happen. Luckily, it is easy to return to a calm state by learning how to use your breath to help bring you back to center. For example, have you ever started to get worked up or excited when your talking and you start talking really fast and the person your talking to can no longer understand you and it starts to get really frustrating? Than in the back of your mind you remembered something you most likely heard in elementary school years, slow down and take 3 deep breaths. Than you paused and took 3 deep breaths, felt calmer and were able to finish your conversation in a calmer tone. In this example the breath was used to control the tempo and tone of the conversation by calming the body and focusing mind to be able to finish the conversation. Taking full deep breaths is one of the quickest ways we can use our breath to calm down. There are many different breathing exercises you can do from nostril breathing to fire belly breathing. Each of the different breath techniques serve a different purpose. For example, alternating nostril breathing can help reduce anxiety, calm and is commonly used in yoga practice. Breath of fire (fire belly breathing) technique is used to help reduce stress and can also improve digestion and strengthen the abdominal wall. Today we will focus on a short breathing/meditation combo that will help you become more calm and focused. (This even makes a great escape if you are not stressed and just seeking a few minutes of space for yourself.)