Can We Simply and Profoundly Offset the Killing Effects of Stress in Our Lives?
Many times when I talk with clients who are very stressed and compromised in centering themselves (and for many compelling reasons!) about practicing relaxation and deep breathing exercises, they tell me they have tried it and it is too hard, they don’t have the time, and it doesn’t work anyways. These common complaints of failure caused me to develop a very offhanded and profoundly simple way to achieve a core meditative state, which has proven very successful over a number of years now.
When we can’t “take a breath and a break” inside, whatever is stressing us out becomes much worse because we can’t settle ourselves and find the strength, endurance and insight to successfully come through life’s challenges. This also takes a major toll on us physically; and can, in subtle and even direct ways, make many of the symptoms of disease much worse.
Create Your Own Core Healing “Getaway”
In my amazing, and, for me, profoundly challenging life, I have experienced many tragedies, including the sudden death of my husband when my children were little; and serious family and financial crises. Without question what I feel has kept me going and allowed me to take a critical “step away” to regroup, uplift and sustain myself with what truly is higher power, has been simple meditative practices.
Not a day goes by when I don’t take a few minutes to settle back, close my eyes, count several deep, full breaths to myself – and allow myself to be carried “up and away” into this infinite, light rhythm. The key, I’ve found, is to also completely let go of any expectation as to what is supposed to happen, and even thoughts of what I want or need for that moment, especially if I feel desperate for what I think I need in order to survive. Instead I simply focus on my breath, stay in touch with what happens everywhere throughout my mind, heart and body when I let my essence breathing “take over”, and enjoy the unfolding “ride”.
Access the Major Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Benefits of Deep Relaxation
I have found a simple, repetitive “script” of orders to give myself to be enormously helpful in experiencing the major benefits that relaxation and deep breathing offers, which are:
*Increased oxygen to all organs and systems throughout the body
*Detaching from whatever keeps us in an anxious, depressed, and fearful state
*Significant, deep and complete release of the stress response, called “fight or flight”, mentally, emotionally and physically
You Can Successfully Command Yourself to Detach, Uplift and Center
Here are my favorite “orders” I am happy to pass along for you to try:
1. Count ten full, deep breaths to yourself – with the first several breaths, inhale so that you feel your rib cage lift up and out; and also exhale so that you feel your rib cage fall back down again toward your stomach.
2. Then as you continue to breathe, for the next several breaths, as you inhale tell yourself to receive higher power; and as you exhale tell yourself to release fear.
3. For these next several breaths following, as you inhale say the phrase let be, and as you exhale say the phrase let go.
4. Imagine you are in a cocoon of infinite clearing, nurturing, freely flowing energy that is your endless breath, continuing to flow all around and through you now, surrounding and filling you up; and say to yourself, float higher and higher.
5. When you feel complete with this meditative experience for now, and/or it is time to return, say to yourself, these connections stay, and I remember; and easily, gently imagine your endlessly flowing breath returns you to full, waking consciousness.
Become Your Own Source of Higher Power and Holistic Healing
Then open your eyes. How do you feel? How do you think you would feel and cope in your life if you practiced this for the next 45 days – long enough to form a healing habit?
We have amazing power to create miracles in our lives – my last command to you is stretch and develop yours! Namaste, Marjorie