"When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire." ? Quote from an 11-year-old's science exam
John Grinder, co-creator of NLP talks about the link between respiration, physiology, internal state and high performance. He calls this 'the chain of excellence'. I recently read a book by Osho, the wonderfully non-PC mystic and guru. In the book, Osho instructed the reader to pay attention to their breathing rate when they were sad, and notice the timing of the in-breath and out-breath. He explained that next time they were happy, they could re-induce the sad state by merely repeating the breathing pattern. Fortunately, he added, it works the other way round too!
Follow some or all of these exercises;
Firstly; When you are experiencing a powerful, positive state, allow yourself to become aware of your breathing rate. Pay particular attention to the timing and rhythm of your in-breath and out-breath.
Secondly; Next time you are in a neutral or negative state, start breathing at the rate and rhythm from exercise one, and within a minute or so, the positive state should begin to return.
Many gurus advise people to do breathing exercises regularly. I know Tony Robbins does in his marvellous book "Unlimited Power" he advises that you start each day with a breathing exercise of inhaling slowly and deeply, then holding it for twice as long as the inhalation and exhaling in twice the pace. It really is invigorating and a great way to get motivated at the start of the day, especially if you are looking to do some things with your day that require motivation.
Breathing is powerful, our life force and is a major factor influencing our state of mind (if you uncertain about this, hold your breath for two minutes & re-read this sentence) This being the case, please use your common sense when doing any of these exercises (if you have a respiratory condition, please check with your health advisor first.) I do not want any asthmatics complaining that they did themselves harm following these exercises!!
So, thirdly; Start breathing comfortably but deeply, in through your nose & out through your mouth. Imagine that you are breathing from that area of your abdomen just beneath your belly button. Make the in-breath last to a count of 5 and the out-breath to a count of 6. Continue for at least 2 minutes, and notice what happens.
This 5:6 ratio seems to be a simple yet powerful way you can induce a relaxed state at will. The art of Yogic breathing is called Pranayama. Pranayama offers many different approaches for cleansing the mind & body through breathing exercises. Here's one of them (with thanks to RA Wilson):
Fourthly (this may seem a bit odd to do, I'd recommend not doing this in front of friends or at work!) ; Lie on your back & pant like a dog, breathing rapidly in & out through your mouth 20 times. Then, breathe slowly, deeply and gently in and out 20 times through your nose. Once again, do the mouth-panting 20 times, then resume gentle nose-breathing. Notice what happens.
This technique is referred to as the breath of fire, and typically results in a state of? well, you find out!
These techniques can be very powerfully utilised when wanting to get in control of your state if you are going through a period of change such as reducing your weight, stopping smoking or developing more confidence.
Please remember that most people don't breathe nearly enough. Start to breathe more deeply and notice how much better you feel. Have lots of fun with this. Notice how good you can make your self feel when you breathe differently.
Copyright 2005 Adam Eason. All Rights Reserved.
Adam Eason is an author, consultant, trainer and motivational speaker in the fields of hypnosis, nlp, personal development and human potential. His website is filled with information, stimulating articles, resources and uniques products.
Visit to also receive a free, unique hypnosis, nlp, personal development and human potential, instantly downloadable, to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
Ashton group transportation logistics management ..What is the greatest fear of man? Is it death?... Read More
With how busy we keep ourselves on a day to... Read More
Amazing thing, overwhelm!You don't usually see it coming. It just... Read More
Stress can affect virtually any part of the body and... Read More
As Montaigne said, "he who fears he will suffer, already... Read More
An excellent stress reducer can be something as simple as... Read More
June is the month of the honey moon. Custom holds... Read More
While free-lancing for business magazines, I was assigned to write... Read More
1. The Law of StagnationThis is also known as first... Read More
Stress is the nastiest 4 letter word you ever met.... Read More
Marshal John Kruger acted by Arnold Schwarzenegger (who else) in... Read More
I just got through reading some troubling news in the... Read More
Stress is normal. Stress is OK. Stress is the same... Read More
What is Stress?Stress may be defined as the three-way relationship... Read More
Do you ever fret? In today's materialistic age, sometimes fretting... Read More
IntroductionTime magazine called stress the "The Epidemic of the Eighties".... Read More
To combat modern day stressors, you need to realize that... Read More
?And holding it way down inside you like an old... Read More
Whether we are at work, traveling, or at home, we've... Read More
Imagine driving down the road. You are driving with a... Read More
Why Stress Management programmes don't work?It seems that every week... Read More
In these times when companies are constantly down-sizing and right-sizing... Read More
There may be so much you want to change in... Read More
A little stress is good for us until it becomes... Read More
Deceiving? You bet they are. How? Without your even knowing... Read More
group transportation logistics management Highland ..Shit happens. I know this to be a fact, because... Read More
Did you ever feel like your "get-up-and-go" got up and... Read More
"Learn how to turn frustration into fascination. You will learn... Read More
On a beautiful summer day years ago, I went water... Read More
Elizabeth, 32, cried during anger management class as she told... Read More
Meditation, relaxation and visualisation are the standard recommendations for reducing... Read More
Have you ever listened to someone, perhaps even to your... Read More
The moment I read the story I'm about to share... Read More
All people experience stress and anxiety in one form or... Read More
The best way to reduce your stress is to really... Read More
According to the Australian Council of Trade Unions' (A.C.T.U.) 1997... Read More
Voice: Bill!Bill: I thought I heard a voice.Voice: Bill! This... Read More
An excellent stress reducer can be something as simple as... Read More
Many CEOs see stress as an intractable problem which would... Read More
Of all the sources of stress in our lives, faulty... Read More
Deadlines at work, demanding bosses, bills to be paid at... Read More
Looking for some quick stress relief?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More
I love a good story and I know I'm not... Read More
One of the best ways to combat stress and depression... Read More
Success in recovery, or rather, staying in recovery, is dependent... Read More
So many of us live a stressful life. Unfortunately, when... Read More
The United Nations declares workplace stress to be a worldwide... Read More
The Mask of "I've Got It All Together"It's so easy... Read More
Amazing thing, overwhelm!You don't usually see it coming. It just... Read More
Perhaps you've heard of the 80/20 rule, but don't know... Read More
Stress Management |