Breathing

“Your hand opens and closes, opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralysed. Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as birds' wings.”

Rumi

Breathing is an exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen; a discharging of what we don’t need for what we do need. When we breathe ‘well’, our bodies are in balance. Doing this as part of a regular and planned practice can keep our bodies in a state of balance.

When we feel stressed or anxious, we tend to breathe faster. This sends signals to our brain that we are ‘under threat’. This can become a viscous cycle, making us feel even more stressed and anxious. Breathing mor slowly and deeply can help to reassure your brain that things are ok. This allows us to think more calmly and rationally.

It can be helpful to try a few different breathing techniques to see which ones work best for you. It can be helpful to use the ones that work best as part of your daily routine so they are easy to use in moments of stress and anxiety.

Why not start but watching the Shhh meditation below which focuses on a basic breathing technique. Then check out the resources below to help build your wellbeing toolkit.