|
Greetings,
As fall slowly begins to show her colors, most of us
start winding up our pace of life—one, two or even
three notches from the longer days of summer.
School gets underway, vacations are over, and the
shortening days convey that we need to get things
done, even faster. Add that to the hurried pace of
everyday life and you have an excellent recipe for
stress. Fortunately for all of us, things can be
different thanks to the gentle healing power
of
our
minds. Read on to learn how you can access your
inner healer for a happier transition into the fall
season.
|
Breathe in the Calm
|
|
Breathing exercises can soothe your stress
by Jackie Foskett, CH
Are you ready to feel more in control of your life,
instead of circumstances, events, and others
controlling you? I believe most of us would
answer
yes. But often our reactions are so automatic, we
become trapped in a cycle of reactivity that we just
can’t seem to break. Negative reactions are a sign
that somewhere in the past, we learned to react to
challenging situations with irritation, anger, and
impatience. Happily, the ability to respond with
patience and calmness is also a matter of
learning.
Use Your Breath
How do we learn to approach life more patiently and
calmly (or at least experience milder symptoms of
distress when faced with difficult circumstances) and
feel more in control? As a hypnotherapist, I teach
people every day to change their lives through the
power of the breath. Coupled with visualization,
simple breathing exercises can have a tremendously
calming affect by supplying oxygen to the brain,
lowering our heart rate and supplying us with the few
seconds we need to respond consciously rather than
reactively.
Prepare for Calm
Just as you might prepare for a trip, a weekly meal
plan, or your daily routine, you can use breathing
exercises to prepare for your response to any
stressful situation. Athletes use such techniques by
mentally rehearsing for their athletic performance.
Some research has even shown that such mental
rehearsing or imagery can be even more
beneficial
than the actual physical practice sessions!
Give it a Try!
So, go ahead. Right now is a perfect opportunity to
allow your powerful inner healer to teach you new
and healthier responses to the circumstances in your
life that normally trigger a negative reaction. Tap
into your natural brilliance with the breathing
exercise below and reap the benefits of a calmer life.
|
|
De-Stressing Exercise
|
|
|
by Jackie Foskett, CH
The key to benefiting from this powerful breathing
exercise in real life is
practicing in your mind’s eye now—before stressful
events occur.
- Begin by thinking of a situation that causes
you stress. For example, driving in traffic.
- Now imagine yourself in that situation.
Picture brake lights flashing, hear horns honking,
smell the exhaust around you.
- At the first feelings of stress, take a full,
deep, conscious breath down into your abdomen.
- Then, instead of watching yourself yell at
other drivers, see yourself employing this good deep
breath to invoke a sense of calm.
- Now, exhale and say out loud any sound or
phrase that signals calmness and reminds you of your
goal, such as “I am calm” or “Ahhhhhhhhh” or “It’s
ok.”
Remember, you can manage your stress by
imagining your calmness. Use your breath! Imagine
how it feels to be calm. Use your breath! Imagine
you are calm. Use your breath! Your
imagination is very powerful. Your breath is very
powerful. Feel your calmness now.
|
|
Quote of the Month
|
|
|
“Breath is the bridge which connects life to
consciousness, which unites your body to your
thoughts.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
|
|
|
