Our Book: Bye Bye Self Sabotage leads you on a journey toward your own personal transformation by mindfully applying concepts in neuroscience, quantum physics, and a combination of proven techniques and practices to blast through the obstacles blocking your path. Today we are sharing 3 stress busting tips to assist you in your transformation.
1. The Over Energy Correction:
Cross the left ankle over the right, extend arms with backs of hands facing each other, bring right hand over left, clasp fingers together, fold arms and hands inward and rest on the chest under the chin; rest tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your front teeth, breathe deeply for 1-2 minutes. It’s very calming for most individuals and can be used as a separate exercise to promote sleep and reduce acute anxiety. Both my co-author and I use it with patients regularly and teach it in our classes and seminars.
Another quick technique that is easy to use anywhere and is very effective:
2. Rhythmic Breathing Exercise for Stress Reduction:
Rhythmic (or Box) Breathing is a helpful technique for rapidly decreasing stress, anxiety, heart rate or blood pressure. It also is centering and prepares you for a meditation or a peaceful night’s sleep. Think of your breathing pattern as if it were a box or square drawn on a piece of paper with the breathing in being the left upward drawn line, holding your in-breath as the line on the top of the square from left to right, breathing out as the line going downward on the right side, and then the holding of the out-breath being the line from right to left on the bottom side of the square. You slowly count the length of your breath going in, being held, or going out that is right for you. The length of your in-breath and out-breath should be the same count; just as the length of the held breath at top and bottom should be the same number of counts. As you practice your breathing, you might find that your square is actually a rectangle. Each person may find they have a different count from another person; and that is fine as we are all unique individuals. Just make certain that you are not strained in your breathing in or out or with the breath holds at top or bottom; if you find you are strained, then change the length of your counts for
different sides of your “box” of breathing. Once you find the pattern of your square or rectangular box that works best for you, go through 4 to 5 complete rounds of the rhythmic breathing and notice how your body and mind respond.
3.A daily practice (daily dharma) can pave the way to depersonalize the daily stress, negative emotions, and thoughts that we encounter daily. We need to have a regular routine that keeps us balanced in body, mind and spirit. Various cultures approach this dilemma in many different ways using a daily centering practice called Dharma. This term refers to a form of self discipline ranging from prayer to yoga to gardening, whatever regular practice assists with feeling balanced and connected to the whole, spirit, God, universe. Some believe that maintaining the continuity through the ages by duplicating practices developed over the millennium will assist you in benefiting from ancient wisdom.
Whether it is chanting ‘om’ to connect with the essence of the universe or partaking in the ritual of the Eucharist to transmit the spirit of Christ to the participant, there is certainly a touch of majesty and comfort in these formal traditions. It is also practical in the sense that there are established communities which practice these formal traditions that give you support and access. In all cultures, the importance of a meditative practice is emphasized, whether that be prayerful meditation, a walking meditation, breathwork, Reiki or other forms of self healing, chi gong, tai chi, drumming, toning sacred mantras, or meaningful body movement which is both connecting and grounding. The key elements for a grounding and connecting daily dharma are: Intention and Mindfulness – To stay fully present in the moment and place our awareness on all the potential choices we can make, while recognizing the possibilities we have in our daily life to transform and shift.
I hope this is helpful. Start de-stressing today!
The Shift Doctors (Tracy Latz, M.D., Mh.D & Marion Ross, Ph.D., Mh.D.)
*FInd out more about The Shift Doctors, their books, CDs, videos and classes at www.shiftyourlife.com **The Shift Doctors (Tracy Latz, M.D. & Marion Ross, Ph.D.) are available for keynote talks, classes, events or for seminars (1/2 day or up to 5 days) on personal transformation, team-building, motivation, anger management, intuitive development, or collaboration for private groups, conferences, corporations or corporate events. Contact them at info@shiftyourlife.com or find out more about them at www.shiftyourlife.com . For More great videos go to ShiftYourLife TV on YouTube