EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE...
August 6th 2007 10:17
Take a deep breath in, visualise a bright white light filtering into your being on the in breath, breathe slowly out, imagine negative energy leaving your body as you exhale. Breathe in…breathe out, feel tension releasing and being exhaled away.
Meditation on the breath has been an integral tool for those following many eastern philosophies since recorded time. Deep breathing calms the mind and relaxes the central nervous system releasing stress and opening the consciousness to a deeper level of awareness.
I first began, and continue, (mostly), using deep breathing to treat myself for panic attacks. As long as I can find a quiet space to sit and breathe deeply for a few minutes I can usually arrest the anxiety to a manageable extent, enough to get myself mobile again from the immobilising fear that can stop me in my tracks.
I have been avoiding this simple activity for a while now, letting myself become gripped by anxiety and almost revelling in the loss of control and panic and extreme anxiety, rather than just sit and breathe. I wont go into this now, that will be another post.
Today, I could feel the knot in my stomach, my palms became clammy, my breathing shallow, my pulse racing, I sat myself down and simply breathed in and out....and after 5 or so minutes I did feel a little more in control, well enough to leave the ladies room at the mall and get myself home.
I remembered, today, that if i take even a few minutes every day from a hectic schedule to sit down and recentre myself I can feel the benefits to both body and mind.
One of the more immediate effects noticeable if you try this simple technique is a slowing of your pulse, your very heartbeat, as it comes back to rest at its natural rhythm.
I know that if I persist and sit still and focus on deep breathing my mind will calm itself for a while, even if it is only a few notches down the scale.
I personally find a visualisation technique useful when I deep breath, but this is just my preference, many people I know enjoy just sitting and following their breath on its inward and outward journey.
Breathe in… Breathe out…may your breath lead you to inner calm and a less stressful life, JUST dont forget to breathe in again xxx
Meditation on the breath has been an integral tool for those following many eastern philosophies since recorded time. Deep breathing calms the mind and relaxes the central nervous system releasing stress and opening the consciousness to a deeper level of awareness.
I first began, and continue, (mostly), using deep breathing to treat myself for panic attacks. As long as I can find a quiet space to sit and breathe deeply for a few minutes I can usually arrest the anxiety to a manageable extent, enough to get myself mobile again from the immobilising fear that can stop me in my tracks.
I have been avoiding this simple activity for a while now, letting myself become gripped by anxiety and almost revelling in the loss of control and panic and extreme anxiety, rather than just sit and breathe. I wont go into this now, that will be another post.
Today, I could feel the knot in my stomach, my palms became clammy, my breathing shallow, my pulse racing, I sat myself down and simply breathed in and out....and after 5 or so minutes I did feel a little more in control, well enough to leave the ladies room at the mall and get myself home.
I remembered, today, that if i take even a few minutes every day from a hectic schedule to sit down and recentre myself I can feel the benefits to both body and mind.
One of the more immediate effects noticeable if you try this simple technique is a slowing of your pulse, your very heartbeat, as it comes back to rest at its natural rhythm.
I personally find a visualisation technique useful when I deep breath, but this is just my preference, many people I know enjoy just sitting and following their breath on its inward and outward journey.
Breathe in… Breathe out…may your breath lead you to inner calm and a less stressful life, JUST dont forget to breathe in again xxx
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Comment by Lily
Ars Poetica
I'm glad to see someone talking about panic attacks, most who suffer from them are too embarrassed to talk about them, like myself, like my daughter. It's very hard for others to understand what it feels like to feel like you're dying.
Those few notches make all the difference.. slowing and deepening your breath is the key to coming back to calm.
I could tell of numerous ladies room incidences, i'm sure you have more too.
i truly hope someone reads this tonight and it helps them.. i know it helped me...
~Lily
Comment by Miss Nomer
I am glad it helped you...its funny..how effective it can be...if you do it...and for some reason I went through a phase of not...and things only get worse as you would well know...
I'm glad it helped
I havent had much time lately...been doing a thought of the day though... but the incident today just made me take the time to sit down and write about itx
x
Comment by Deorre
Stress Alive
Man Lessons
This post is a geat reminder.
Comment by Miss Nomer
Comment by charliesgirl_992000
Histeries, Mysteries and what not
Lifes little slices
Mystical Creativity
Glad you have this, that works for you. Take wonderful care. Tammy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I appreciate this idea too, Deorre:
I do that sometimes when I'm in the middle of one and centre myself by seeing that a catastrophe isn't happening.
I really like your idea, Tammy, I think that would work for me. I'm going to have a think about something I could carry.
Thank-you.
Tracy
Comment by Miss Nomer
Hi Tracy....if I get too far into a panic attack I find it hard to remember anything useful...the tunnel vision and other phsysiological things happening are just too overwhelming...I guess for me the trick is to try to breathe when I first feel it coming on.......Glad this post was helpful xx
xx
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Great post. In the midst of panic, it's hard to remember to slow down and breathe. But even if I'm just stressed out at work, I find that if I just sit for even a single minute, and close my eyes and breathe, it's enough to break that cycle so that I can at least write a list of what I need to do and be spurred into action. Rather than running around in a panicky haze not achieving anything.
But it's so easy to forget to do that!!!!
Kylie
Comment by Miss Nomer