For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth. ~Sanskrit Proverb<\/p>\n
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Most people don’t give a lot of thought to their breathing. \u00a0I mean, it’s a reflex right? \u00a0It goes in, it comes out, all without much intervention from our conscious brain. \u00a0But it is surprising how important it can be to cope with certain stresses and anxieties, which affect pretty much everyone.<\/p>\n
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Ever since I had chemo, I have experienced anxiety and downright panic attacks. \u00a0My chest starts to tighten up, I feel like I can’t breathe, and the hot flashes start forming at the top of my head. \u00a0I struggled to control them for a year without much success. \u00a0There was no trigger, no action that seemed to spark the attacks. \u00a0But they happened at least twice a day, usually sometime in the afternoon, and at bedtime. \u00a0I began to wonder if this was my life now.<\/p>\n
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I finally fell back into my old yoga habits, one of which was deep yogic breathing. \u00a0 And it was incredible. \u00a0 Over a few months my attacks began to taper off. \u00a0I rarely have one at bedtime anymore, and attacks during the day have decreased to maybe one or two a week. \u00a0Not only are the episodes occurring less frequently, but I can usually nip them in the bud as soon as they start.<\/p>\n
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The key to using breathing exercises is to perform them regularly as part of a routine, not just when you are getting flustered. \u00a0The exercises are simple, but take practice. \u00a0They require no equipment, and can be done pretty much anywhere. \u00a0 And unlike most anti-anxiety medications, there are no side effects. \u00a0Well, unless you count being healthy and panic attack free.<\/p>\n
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Now, there, doesn’t that feel better?<\/p>\n
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Here is a very simple breathing exercise to get you started. \u00a0 It is my go-to when I need to head off an attack at the pass. \u00a0(See\u00a0kundaliniwomen.org<\/a>\u00a0for this and other useful information on deep breathing). \u00a0For best effect, make sure you are only breathing through your nose.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Namaste!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
\nYogi Bhajan specifically recommended that women practice the One Minute Breath in order to create a deep experience of relaxation. Yogis also practice this breathing sequence to calm anxieties, fear and worry, open the intuition and activate the entire brain.
\nInhale:\u00a0<\/strong>Breath the air very slowly into the lungs for 20 seconds
\nHold:\u00a0<\/strong>Sustain the breath as you relax the chest and shoulders for 20 seconds
\nExhale:\u00a0<\/strong>Release the breath very slowly for 20 seconds.
\nContinue this sequence for 7-11 minutes daily.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n