Remember to Breath During this Hectic Time of Year!

Breathing, we do this every minute of every day without giving it a second thought. When I begin to teach "pranayama" , controlled breathing,  it is sometimes very difficult to wrap our minds around the idea of controlling the breath while keeping it natural. While sitting there reading this blog,sit upright, close your eyes for just one minute , notice your breath, notice the sensations of the breath flowing in past the nostrils filling up the abdomen like a balloon, feel the expansion of your "container" and the contraction. If feeling the breath does not speak to you , use visualization. Imagine your breath is like a pitcher of water, the breath fills the pitcher and then it slowly flows or pours out. The more we "practice" this type of controlled breathing the more natural is gets.  As you notice the breath and "switch " gears we change the focus of the brain and nervous system from the primitive part of our brain ( medulla oblongata) to the more evolved part of the brain the cerebral cortex. This practice of control of breath and prana have a profound effect on the body, mind and spirit. Watching the breath, calms the mind, calms the nervous system. The nice thing about this limb of yoga is anyone can do it, we all breath. All it takes is a few minutes of your day. Take a moment and notice how you feel after "practicing" your breathing. Do this type of breathing anytime you need to focus, De-stress, relax and center yourself. Enjoy the moment!