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ST KILDA KINESIOLOGY
Pathways to Better Health
The science of mind body health and the wisdom of ancient healing
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Breathing is something you do every day, but how often do you
think about HOW you are breathing?
Breathing is an integral part of relaxation.
Why is this so?
Did you know that you have the same physiology as a caveman?
Think about how different our lives are now - we certainly do not experience the
same danger each day that the caveman did, and our stresses come in many
different ways. However, our body which is designed to ensure our
survival, does not know that.
When you are breathing shallowly into your upper chest, this sends a message to
your autonomic nervous system that you are in danger. Conversely, slow and
gentle abdominal breathing signals
that you are safe. This allows your bodily functions to slow down and relax
(heart, digestive functions, muscles). This is particularly important for anyone
with a heart condition, or digestive ailments.
Practiced regularly, this breathing will become second-nature to you allowing
you to feel more relaxed and in control. Combined with a visualisation,
it can be a very powerful and effective form of relaxation.
You might be surprised to know that focusing on breathing correctly can be a
form of meditation. Meditation isn't about sitting on a mountain-top in a
loincloth - it can be defined as any activity that keeps our attention
pleasantly anchored in the present moment and our mind fully engaged in what we
are doing.
Here is a simple exercise that you can try anytime, anywhere:
1. Sit comfortably in your chair and imagine that you have a balloon in
your lower abdomen
2. As you slowly and gently breathe in, imagine you are blowing up the
balloon and your lower abdomen is expanding.
3. As you breathe out, drop your shoulders and imagine that you are
squeezing the air out of the ballon and your lower abdomen is contracting.
4. Repeat this slowly for at least five breaths. Use each out breath to
allow your body to relax even further.
There
are two primary choices in life ..
To accept conditions as they exist, or to accept the responsibility for changing
them.
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