Film Capture, Judith Rae.

 

Have you noticed the power of breathing? Breath helps you calm all the what-ifs and brings you back into your body.

Attention to breath is an easy way out of worry and back into the present moment. Below is a technique you can try that’s super simple and can be done anywhere… I learned it during the Energy Back Bootcamp with @crazysexykris. it’s called Box Breathing.

 

Box Breathing

> Breath in (from your nose) for the count of 4.

> Hold for the count of 4.

> Breath out (from your nose) for the count of 4.

Do this 4 times and see how you feel.

 

Want to learn more quick breathing tips? Below are a couple breathing techniques I put together to help bring more peace and tranquility into your life along with some notes on the benefits of breathing through your nose on the daily.

 

I started my yoga practice back when I was about nineteen years old to help manage stress and as a way to move my body. Yoga became my first consistent practice of movement and great insight on healthy breathing.

Most yoga teachers do a great job at reminding everyone throughout class to incorporate Ujjayi breathing – breathing from the diaphragm while inhaling and exhaling through the nose. A breathing technique that sounds like the ocean. According to Wikipedia, the direct translation is “victorious breath”.

WebMD notes with regular practice, alternate-nostril breathing can bring better balance to your nervous system and less stress response and activity over time. It lowers blood pressure. Deep breathing and alternate-nostril breathing slow your heartbeat and lower your blood pressure. It improves overall breathing.

 

Alternate Nostril Breathing

> With your non-dominant hand (for me its my left hand so directions are as follows) place your thumb on your left nostril (rest your fingers on your forehead).

 

> Hold down your left nostril while you deeply inhale and exhale through your right nostril three times.

 

> Then place your pointer holding down your right nostril (rest your fingers on your face) while you deeply inhale and exhale through your left nostril three times.

 

Want to go deeper, close your eyes while you try this breathing technique.

 

Want to take it to the next level, tune into your heart and ask for a message. You can simply ask: “is there anything I need to know right now?” See if you hear a message or see something in your minds eye.

 

 

Bee’s Breath

I was reminded of this breath when I took an incredible class taught by Flose LaPierre’s (with my friend Amen) called Writing to Heal and now I practice this breath in the mornings before meditation. It helps relax the mind and body. It’s an exercise Flose suggests before writing too.

 

> Use the thumb of each hand to close both ears. Rest your fingers over your eyes.

> Breath through your nose as you hold your tongue to the roof of your mouth.

> Exhale through your nose and create a humming sound – much like a humming bee sound.

Try this for 10 to 15 rounds.

 

Below are some notes from a USA Today report on The Surprising Benefits That Come From Breathing Entirely through your Nose.

James Nestor, a science journalist and author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. says, “We get most of our energy from our breath, not from food or drink,”.

“There’s a reason why you can survive weeks without food, days without water, and only minutes without air,” he says.

“Yoga was first and foremost a technology of breathing.”

One of the advantages of breathing this way is that nose hairs and mucus membranes act as a filter against dust, mold and bacteria.

Nestor says, “there’s no resistance when you’re only breathing through your mouth,” and as a result, most of us breathe too often.

Practice breathing for about five seconds per inhale and five seconds per exhale for several minutes a day, he suggests. Doing so, along with breathing entirely through the nose, “allows your body to get the maximum amount of oxygen for the least amount of effort.”

Nose breathing has also been shown to improve athletic performance, can improve sleep and nose breathing can also help your body regulate emotions.

In case you missed it, here is a post on another great form of breathing called Breath of Fire.

I’d love to hear from you so please do let me know how it goes for you and if you notice a difference.

My hope for this blog post is that it continues to inspire you to dream, to grow and to create in fabulously authentic ways. May we all deepen our sense of self-love, creativity, cultivate great change, fulfillment, peace and joy in our lives. May we take time to acknowledge all that we have to be thankful for and recognize that we are straight-up MAGIC!

As always, I truly appreciate your friendship, your continued encouragement and generous referrals. If you have any suggestions, questions or thoughts please call or email judith@judithrae.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

with love,

Judith