Vessel Of Voices’ Weblog

Imagine  kindness as a breath ~ a Whale of a breath! Like whales and dolphins, try breathing consciously ~ exhaling fully and completely, then allowing the inhalation to arrive – and remaining aware of how the air enters, flows into your body, expanding and softening hard edges.

When we are anxious, worried, or in chronic pain our breathing becomes shallow, short – this, in turn, triggers the fight, flee, or freeze response and stress hormone release (cortisol).

Conscious deep breathing counters this by stimulating the vagus nerve. Vagus nerve runs from the brain to diaphragm and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. 

To begin ~ lie down on supportive surface on your back, limbs stretched out slightly away from your body, become aware of  passage of air through your body on inbreath and outbreath.  Tip ~ Exhaling first makes it easier to relax & faster to release.         

Think of your breath as a gift from the universe ~ you are breathing in chi or life force. Imagine this life force filling you up, like water being poured into a pitcher. Stay with sensations related to the air coming in, expanding and softening, clearing and cleansing every cell – like a gloriously sparkling waterfall in slow motion streaming into, between, and through all of you.

Let all of what weights you down in pain, despair, anxiety  flow out with no need to examine or cling – let the river of your exhalations wash away all. With each inhalation breath in as if you are surfacing in a dolphin’s ascending graceful leap ~ new fresh life force pours in to all of your cells, re-newing and replenishing. Continue until you feel a sense of peace and quiet within you.

Conscious  ’Element Breathing’ in Heart Rhythm Meditation Teleconference Classes ~ Check out free introductory classes on www.vesselofvoices.com or call Roxanna (contact info on website)

Enjoy a long Breath of Warm Days in August,  Roxanna