Waiting for the exhale………
As I am guided to release my breath I realise that my body wants to hold on, to continue to feel the rigid edges within the shapes and crevices of the suit that houses my spirit
I know I am always striving, pushing forward but to where…… my familiar is an unsafe place, that for now feels familiar, therefore regarded safe
My nervous system is deregulated, like so many others and even though for me I am aware I am unsure how to break the cycle, with all that I must do in my everyday existence
The more we push, resist and overwhelm our senses the more we live in this state of exhaustion, of just surviving
Do we want to look back at our lives and think, we survived, or that we lived
We are taught about the breath in yoga, to draw deep into our diaphragms and allow it to fill our bellies, but I feel we need to be reminded of the power of the exhale alone. A way to let go of not only the breath, but the cares, worries, or concerns that we may have too.
To lighten the body
The fight or flight response was intended as a survival mechanism to allow mammals, including humans, to react quickly to a situation that was life-threatening. Unfortunately, today the human body has the same response to non life-threatening stressors that cause high levels of anxiety.
Research has shown that the long-term effects of chronic stress affect a person’s psychological and physical health. According to an article in Harvard Health Publishing, “The repeated activation of the stress response takes a toll on the body. Research suggests that chronic stress contributes to high blood pressure, promotes the formation of artery-clogging deposits, and causes brain changes that may contribute to anxiety, depression, and addiction.”
When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, it produces a calm and relaxed feeling in the mind and body. We can learn to trigger our parasympathetic nervous system to immediately reduce our sense of anxiety and stress. This also lifts our mood, strengthens our immune system, and reduces our blood pressure.
There are many techniques that we can use to strengthen and activate our parasympathetic nervous system, causing a relaxation response in our body. For example:
* Spend time in nature
* Get a massage
* Practice meditation
* Deep abdominal breathing from the diaphragm
* Repetitive prayer
* Focus on a word that is soothing such as calm or peace
* Play with animals or children
* Practice yoga, chi kung, or tai chi
* Exercise
* Try progressive relaxation
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