The Decision Is Yours
I get annoyed when self-help gurus say things like, “Everything in your life is because you created it. If you want something new, just change your energy to change your life.”
I get annoyed because many of them leave it at that. They don’t say how. So even if it’s true, people are left on their own to figure it out.
That’s why I prefer to offer techniques that can be experienced in the body. Something tangible to use when things get too much.
After all, if someone wants to change their life, they need a way to do it. So that’s where I focus my attention.
Of all the techniques I’ve tried over the years, breathing exercises have been the most helpful in this regard.
That’s because the breath accompanies us through every single moment we are alive and its rhythm is directly linked to the rhythm of the heart, brain, and nervous system. So it can be used in a way that slows everything down when things start to speed up.
If you’ve ever been overcome with anxiety, you’ll know how miraculous that is. It can change a very precarious situation into something far more manageable as it allows the heart and mind to stay open when otherwise they would be closed.
It’s not necessarily a cure. Not immediately anyway. But it can provide a moment’s rest in the middle of a storm. And that can be enough to keep going.
Having a relationship with my breath affords me this luxury. It allows me to choose peace over pressure, sanctity over stress, calmness over chaos, and power over powerlessness.
So my advice is similar to those self-help gurus but with a twist: change your breath to change your energy. And then watch your life change naturally as a result.
That’s a decision that can be made some 20,000 times a day as each inhale and each exhale comes and goes.
To get the ball rolling, here are two of my favourite breathing exercises that support this mission.
1. Box Breathing (Sama Vritti)
Box breathing is great for building emotional resilience, relieving stress, and creating a calm inner state. It has gained tremendous popularity in recent years ever since the Navy SEALs revealed it’s what they use to reduce stress in intense situations.
Breathe in deeply and smoothly through your nose for 4 seconds
Hold your breath at the top for 4 seconds
Breathe out softly and calmly through your nose for 4 seconds
Hold your breath at the bottom for 4 seconds
This is one complete cycle
Continue for 25-50 breaths or 5-10 minutes
To deepen the experience, increase the number of seconds you breathe in and out and hold for (5 or 6 seconds, for example) if it feels right to do so
2. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana Pranayama)
This exercise is great for working both nostrils, balancing both hemispheres of the brain, and enhancing spatial awareness. It’s my go-to whenever things are moving too fast and I need a moment to ground.
Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight
Close your right nostril with the thumb on your right hand
Inhale deeply through your left nostril and then close your left nostril with your right index finger
At the end of the inhale, open your right nostril and exhale fully
At the end of the exhale, close your right nostril with your thumb
Open your left nostril and inhale
This is one complete cycle
As your breath begins to deepen, try pausing your breath at the top of each inhale and at the bottom of each exhale for a couple of seconds at a time. Continue for up to 5 minutes
Thanks for reading!
See you next week :)