THE POWER OF CONSCIOUS BREATH

This breathing exercise isn't so much an exercise as it is a focus. If you focus on how you are breathing, then you can't think about other things at the same time!!! This is known as conscious breath. Our automatic and unconscious breathing only fills our lungs to about 37% total capacity. By comparison, when a dolphin breathes, it utilizes almost 97% of its lung capacity. Dolphins and whales are conscious-breathing mammals They have to breathe deliberately in order to survive, so they do this all the time.

To begin, sit or lie down in a way that is comfortable for you. Take a few slow, deep breaths, expanding your diaphragm while inhaling. Allow the exhale to be natural and slow. At the bottom of the exhale, pause and tune into the stillness of the body. Don't force it or wait too long to take the next breath. Instead, get into a natural flow that is easy for you to follow. Pay attention to how the air feels going through your nasal passages and into your lungs. Keep breathing until you fill a bit tranced-out or "high." You can go about 5 to 10 minutes, but that's all you'll need.

Everyday stuff:

Whenever you find yourself stressing about things that are going on around you -- whenever you are caught up in something mentally -- use this simple breathing technique until you feel yourself slowing down. As you slow down you will feel the spaces within and without beginning to expand, and opening up around the issue or challenge. Just breathe with whatever feels fearful or threatening; don't try to resists anything. Stay in the natural flow. In other words, just be present with what is in this moment...right now...right now...right now. By getting still, you give your larger self, your I AM, the opportunity to DOWNLOAD the appropriate insight or solution to whatever is happening. The solution may not appear right then and there but it will come. The whole point of this is to stop reacting from your mind because when you are caught up in negative mental noise, you are also feeling negative emotion. If negative emotion doesn't get expressed...then it can adversely impact your physical body and the people around you. It can become a vicious circle. Conscious breathing reduces noise, diminishes ego control and instills a sense of well-being and safety. The conscious-breath is super-oxygenated, and it can calm and energize at the same time.

Finally, try this: as you are breathing, chant inside yourself the words I AM, I AM, I AM. This will intensity the focus and help to center you within your physical body and energy field.

Every breath you take will energize your well-being!