Saturday, May 16, 2015

breathing exercises

Breathing well is increasingly rare these days! We're so stressed and busy and we're thinking about everything except our bodies - thank goodness that our lungs breathe on their own, whether we think of it or not!

But, breathing deeply, slowly, with volume and mindfulness has wonderful benefits to our bodies. I'm going to recommend that you follow the link below and read a blog (that I follow) from Elizabeth Walling, who lives and writes about nourishing our bodies, minds, lives. I really like her philosophies, and so I'm sharing her article about the benefits from daily deep breathing. Enjoy!

from www.livingthenourishedlife.com with Elizabeth Walling


http://www.livingthenourishedlife.com/2010/02/5-ways-youll-benefit-from-daily-deep

Sunday, May 10, 2015

breathing... we all do it!

Have you ever considered how amazing it is that our bodies breathe without our conscious control? Whew! Thank goodness, I don't have to always keep in mind "breathe in" and later "breathe out." If I can't find my car keys, imagine what would happen to my lungs!!

It's interesting, however, that we also have conscious control over our breathing, if we choose. So, we can take a big breath in preparation for yelling. We can breathe shallowly if the air is toxic. We can take long, slow breaths to calm down. Manipulating our breathing turns out to be one of the best things we can do to help ourselves feel better. How? In the next few posts, I'll tell you!

I was first introduced to the importance of breathing as a singer in our school chorus. Our teacher taught us about breathing from the diaphragm (not the birth control device, but the muscle in your middle) to support high or loud singing. Later, working in the theater, actors must master their breathing in order to portray their characters so that the audience can hear and understand them. But, the most life-changing experience with breathing came when I started to meditate. Meditation, especially focusing on the breath, has helped me to calm my nervous system and relieve pain.