Welcome! Give yourself a congratulatory tap on the shoulder for choosing to read this post.
By choosing to read this you are manifesting a desire to improve your well being and that, in itself, is crossing the threshold to a rewarding path. Hopefully you will also take this first step.
In one sitting you will learn some very simple techniques and discover how to inject them into your daily life. It’s so easy! Well, let’s get on with it!
- Your eyes open in the morning, you stretch and sit up. This is where you begin! Think of something to be grateful for. Let that be your first thought. By remembering to do this you will also be applying mindfulness, another beneficial behavior. So far, so good!
- Ten minutes of the time it takes you to prepare for your day must be freed up for your practice. You may have to get out of bed ten minutes earlier but it will be so worth it in the long run! Doing this practice in the morning is the most beneficial because the effects will positively impact your day. Ideally, you will find another ten minutes in the evenings for a practice also..
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These ten minutes will include:
- Breathing exercises for five minutes.
- Relaxing the mind for five minutes.
Your Daily Breathing Exercise
It is a well documented fact that the way we breathe impacts our overall health as much as nutrition. Our cells can only function properly if adequately oxygenated. Our nervous system can be regulated through the breath. It is the number one method for stress and anxiety reduction.
Never breathe through your mouth! That is your emergency back up breathing body part only. It is best used for eating and kissing!
There are many specific techniques which can be investigated. All are worthy!
Here are a couple of good links:
I am going to teach you a relaxing breathing technique first.
Method:
-Sit on a chair with a straight spine, legs uncrossed or on the floor with a cushion just under the bottom of the spine, legs crossed or folded beneath you.
-Rest your hands on your lap, arms loose, shoulders relaxed, face relaxed.
-Close your eyes.
-A note on breathing deeply. This does not mean taking in whopping great amounts of air but rather bringing the air DEEP into the lungs. We can do this better by placing a hand on the abdomen and pushing the abdomen out with an inhale. That is what happens when the diaphragm expands.
Ready? Let’s do this for 10 rounds.
-Inhale for a count of 4
-Hold for a count of 7
-Exhale for a count of 8.
Find your pace at the edge of your comfort zone! Don’t strain or gasp.
-Now just breathe normally for 30 seconds and then do another round of 10 “relaxing breaths”.
Three or four rounds should take you five minutes.
Voila! You’re on the way to better health and well being already! Onward!
Your Daily Mind Relaxing Exercise
Initially, I strongly recommend a short guided meditation. There are many which can be downloaded from the internet. Guided meditations come in many lengths ranging from two minutes to an hour or more so pick one that is approximately five minutes to begin with. Choose a voice that you find soothing and credible and a style which appeals to you.
Method:
Get yourself into a comfortable position, either sitting with a straight spine, chin slightly tucked in or lying on your back with hands to the side, palms up and legs slightly spread apart. Press play, relax and let yourself be guided!
Too easy!
- Begin infusing your days with mindfulness. Keep your attention focused on the task at hand. Gently gather the wandering mind. Pay attention to your breathing now and then. Pay attention to your posture. Observe the many miracles that surround us every day.
Be kind to people, bearing in mind that everyone is struggling with something we know nothing about and they are all doing the best they can manage. Be kind even if their best doesn’t seem very impressive to us at times!
Zion Yoga and Simple Living 
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