One of the many things we explored at the recent Goddess Getaway was how important it is to BREATHE!!
Breathing is a natural thing - breathe in, breathe out…seems simple, right? Well, there actually is a wrong and a right way to get oxygen into your system through your lungs.
In a quick survey of ourselves, a sampling of overcommitted, too busy women, we noticed that most of us are shallow breathers. Meaning, we typically breath in and out at chest depth, short fairly quick breathing that doesn’t even fill our lungs, let alone the belly!
Shallow breathing can cause dry mouth and fatigue, aggravate respiratory problems, can be dangerous and turn into panic attacks or be a precursor to cardiovascular issues.
Guest Guide, Heather Einshon, who was one of the health providers at the Getaway, shared with us that practicing deep breathing was integral to building lung capacity and lung strength which is super important in these times of viruses that affect the lungs.
Deep breathing, also called belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and abdominal breathing, helps ease stress. It can also lower your blood pressure and relax tense muscles. Stress, as we know, can wreak havoc on our health and makes it harder to make healthy choices.
Heather also shared with us:
“Breath is a link between you and spirit, a link to your personal power.”
Use this week’s practice to connect you to YOU!
This Week's Practice
Breathing Deeply
The square breathing technique below is an easy practice you can start right away and do almost anywhere. There are many breathing techniques you can explore, and this one will get you started.
- Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed.
- Breathe in through your nose, ALL the way in filling your belly.
- Count while you do this.
- Hold your breath for whatever that count was.
- Breathe out, through your mouth, for the same count.
- Hold, again for the same count.
- Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
Use this practice to experience the health benefits of simply breathing deeply, often.
