Breathing: our super power
“Your Breath is always there for you.”
The world is going through something scary. It is a threat to our safety and the natural human response is to feel fearful and anxious. However this is not useful, as it taxes the system and has health consequences. We need to share tools to respond in a way that promotes strength and ease, caution and hope. This is what motivates me to share the three part tool below. Fortunately we have control over one thing (and only one thing), and that is our response to the fear and anxiety. And our breath is a tool to respond wisely.
A couple amazing things about the breath: it is highly intelligent. Our breath transforms itself in support of our survival. When we need to run from a tiger, it quickens and shortens. When we need to rest and digest, it slows and calms. However, due to the world we live in our breath is getting mixed signals. For example, when we are stressed about work our breath becomes shallow; however, this is no longer necessary. We do not need to run from a tiger. Therefore, if we become aware of our breath we have the power to transform how stress IMPACTS us. For the most part we can’t change the external stressors, but we can change our breathing. That’s the next wondrous thing about breath, it is the one thing in our body that can operate on its own, unconsciously, whether you are thinking about it or not, AS WELL AS be directly and immediately controlled and manipulated.
So, how does breath slow our nervous system down and help us cope more effectively with stress? To be clear there are endless ways - however I am going to share one introductory and easy tool today. This tool includes three things: awareness, embodiment, and breath.
Step one is becoming aware of your body. So often we are lost in the future, past, or endless to dos. Our internal dialogue is going a mile a minute. So first we just pause, and become aware of our body. Notice your posture, how are you sitting? Stress often looks like tension, hunching over, furrowed brow, clenched jaw, and so on. So even right now, just become aware of your body. And in particular bring awareness to your spine. See if you can find alignment. Alignment often looks like shoulders dropping away from your ears and onto the back, spine lifting up and out the top of your head, and a slight leaning back (we are often tilted forward).
Step two is become aware of the breath. As you move into your body, and shift your position from one of stress to one of presence, there is often room to breath. Begin noticing the inhale and the exhale. Notice where in your body you feel the breath most strongly. Maybe it’s cool air going into the nostrils, or a sensation at the back of the throat. Or possibly the rise and fall of the chest. Take a moment now, reel your body being breathed.
Step three is to note internally on the inhale, “I have arrived” on the exhale “I am here”. This arriving practice slows the nervous system and promotes a sense of being here now. See if you can pause and practice right now, breath in and note “I have arrived”. Exhale, “I am here.” Now close your eyes and try it.
Wonderful. Now I’d like you to just observe your breath and body. Is there any difference between now and before reading this? What do you notice in your shoulders? Face? Breath? I hope you’ll pocket this practice and find it supportive and nourishing. We are all in this together, we will get through this time. Let us all go out there and breath mindfully, potentially forming a collective response of calm, confident, hope.
Warmly,
Ellen Slater, LICSW, RYT
Founder