One breath at a time
Yogini–
Georgia Rhodes
@georgia.rhodes
Photo–
Lila Theodoros
@studio.musemuse
Practice and all is coming.
Breath is life. We take a moment to slow down and connect with the breath with the sublime Georgia Rhodes.
Easy Breath Awareness Exercise
Benefits: Calming the mind (and body), soothing anxiety, helps alleviate stress and overwhelm, helps develop self-awareness, patience, clarity and focus.
When to: Breath awareness is a wonderful daily habit to develop, either in the morning or afternoon, on its own or as part of an existing practice or routine. Breath awareness is also highly beneficial to do anytime there are feelings of overwhelm, anxiousness, stress, if you are having trouble sleeping or anytime you would like to (get out of the head) bring awareness back to the body.
How to: Come to a comfortable sitting or laying position. Close the eyes and invite the body and breath to be at ease.
Position 1: Take your left hand across the body, palm resting onto the upper right pec or breast, just under the right collar bone. Breathe through the nose, inviting the breath to be soft and steady, noticing how the body moves and feels on both the inhale and exhale, particularly in the area where the hand is resting. Take 5-10 breaths.
Position 2: Slide the hand across the body and down the ribcage a little, allowing the palm to rest mid ribcage. Notice again how the body moves and feels on each inhale and exhale, with your awareness more toward where your hand is placed. Take 5-10 breaths here.
Position 3: Slide the hand down the body and place over the navel area and again bring the awareness to how the breath and body feel on the inhale and exhale, particularly where your hand is resting. Take 5-10 breaths.
Position 4: Lastly, bring your left hand to rest comfortably either on your knee, thigh, lap or by your side, in symmetry with your right hand. Take another 5-10 breaths, noticing again how your body moves and feels with each inhale and exhale. Allow the breath to be soft and steady, inviting tension and tightness to ease away from the breath, body and mind.
Take a few quiet moments allowing the breath to return to its natural rate and rhythm, noticing how you feel – physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically.
Open the eyes and go about the rest of your day.
Nadi Shodona
(Alternate Nostril Breathing)
Benefits: Calms the busy mind, improves mental clarity, supports the parasympathetic system, alleviates stress and anxiety, engages (and balances) the left and right hemispheres of the brain, improves the respiratory system and lung capacity and is both relaxing and energising for the body.
How to: Take a comfortable sitting or kneeling position, (use a bolster or cushion for more comfort), that allows the spine and torso to feel tall, yet at ease. Hands can rest comfortably on knees or thighs.
Allow the tongue to rest in the roof of the mouth (if unsure of proper placement, swallow – the tongue naturally goes where it needs to). Invite the jaw and face to soften.
Take your dominate hand (left or right) and fold the ring finger in toward the palm. Bring the index and middle fingers together to rest onto the forehead space, between the eyebrows. Then bring the thumb and little finger to rest each side of the nose, on the nostrils.
Close the eyes and feel the flow of the breath in and out of both nostrils, with the thumb and little finger resting (but not yet closing the) nostrils, inviting the breath into the space beneath the ribcage.
Allow the breath to become an even and comfortable length (try inhaling for a count of 2 or 3 and exhaling for a count of the same).
Inhale through both nostrils.
Close off the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. Inhale left side.
Close off the left nostril, and exhale right through the nostril. Inhale right side.
(This is one cycle or round.)
Repeat a minimum of five cycles/rounds and up to five minutes.
Finish, by exhaling through the left nostril.
Then rest your hand comfortably onto your knee or thigh, in symmetry with the other hand. Allow the breath to naturally settle back to its own rate and rhythm.
Remain (sitting or kneeling) a few quiet moments with your eyes closed, noticing how you feel – physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically. Bring some slow and gentle movements to the body as you open the eyes. Go about the rest of your day.
To explore these (or other) breath techniques further you can find Georgia consulting and guiding her mindful movement and sublime stillness classes from her wellbeing studio in Brooklet. georgiarhodes.com.au
Originally published in Paradiso Issue 10