Kundalini Global was born into something of an epic time. Not only relative to the global pandemic, but when we look at how it is we are invited to be all the time. Social media, the news, television… they are all designed to provoke 3 very specific emotions in us… to be offended, to be oppressed, to be horrified.
These 3 states of being invite us to abandon ourselves so that we keep coming back. To check, to scroll, to shout, to like… They are the emotions that will take you straight back into your tall, dark history.
When we look at why we do yoga and what the power of the mat is, it is to give people tools and give people permission to put the offence, the oppression, the horror, down.
A Breath For Self-care
When we look at why we do yoga and what the power of the mat is, it is to give people tools and give people permission to put the offence, the oppression, the horror, down. We can do that in a number of different ways and in a series of upcoming posts we will be walking you through some extremely simple tools and practises that help us to move out of offence, horror and oppression and land, instead, in the present moment. A place where we can remember our ability to soften, to accept, to allow. We will start today with an extremely simple breath that works to calm the mind.
Understanding the breath helps you to understand the stress system.
It is extremely common in these times for the mind can be running very fast. For us to be feeling very anxious.
This breath’s job is to calm down that kind of relentless buzzing of thoughts and the physical responses that come from being somewhat overwhelmed in how we are thinking. It works on both the physical and emotional bodies.
We can use this breath to soothe. This is very much a breath for self care.
Here is how to do it:
To play with this breath is very simple. You can do it anywhere, any time. Sit however is comfortable. Always, ideally, with a straight back and siting up, so if you are in a chair, sit forward on it, not slouched back. You want the lungs to be open.
Your eyes are closed.
Inhale through tight lips, gently, quietly. Hold for a moment at the top and then exhale through the nose.
It’s simple. But it’s very, very, relaxing. When we tighten the lips, and then relax the lips at the end, the entire body sighs and goes ‘OK, cool.’
The cooling in-breath soothes. It’s very soothing for the system, the tightening of the lips affects the vagus nerve, to have this very cool stream of air coming though the lips cools down the system, and not just in a way that you may want to try it when it is hot outside, it literally cools the heat of the emotion.
And then the warm, gentle, exhale is very comforting. Like wrapping a cashmere blanket around yourself.
So close your eyes… you can have a quick stretch… stretch your face, your neck, roll your shoulders.
See if you can do 5,6,7,8 seconds on the inhale. Aim for the same for the exhale. Over time allow it, softly, to lengthen out. Sitting straight, but calm.
Once again the instructions are so simple:
Once again the instructions are so simple: Eyes closed, straight spine, inhale through tight lips, hold for a moment, and then exhale through the nose. Keep going with that very gentle, cooling, inhale, and warm, comforting, exhale. By breathing slowly and gently you tell your stress system you’re safe. Or safe enough. Safe enough is often good enough.
You don’t have to do this breath for long. Just a couple of minutes of being soft and gentle and still. Just a few minutes of safe enough, still, calm and present. At the end, allow yourself to become soft. Comfortable in your posture. See if you can sit a while longer with the eyes closed in the stillness.
Most of our minds are like little monkeys that jump about. When our eye are open and we’re constantly checking, we’re constantly stimulating the stress system.
Safe Enough
We can let ourselves be safe enough, and to keep the eyes closed, just for a couple of minutes, and let that breath permeate through the organs to move through the system, soft and gentle and in the body… it’s very nice. Self-care. A lovely thing to do for yourself.
