Good day to you my Summer Health Trekkers,
What a glorious week of full sun, breeze and the beauty of what I call that tropical wonder when the rains come fierce and leave quietly. I hope you too have enjoyed as such or something similar.
I hope you had a nice opening of the solstice. With such we find our way to walking and being out and about with more intention of staying in communion with nature. This does us a lot of good after long winters and springs where we may not have gotten a chance to follow our way through the raindrops too much outside. We do ourselves a great deal of good to take walks and absorb the gift that air into our lungs can bring.
If being outdoors doesn’t appeal to you much right now, don’t feel left out. In fact, it’s far better to find yourself with a routine you can follow that opens and welcomes breath every day. This week I attended a yoga class and my wonderful instructor gave me a taste for a new method of breathing exercise I would like to share with you.
Step 1: Breathe into your lower abdomen (place your hands). Then pause, hold.
Step 2: Breathe into your ribs (place your hands). Then pause, hold.
Step 3: Breathe into your chest (place your hands). Then pause hold.
After moving the breath through all 3 areas of your body, then exhale. You don’t have to hold your breath that long between each but aim to give the space for the breath to be in these places before exhaling.
This enables the full capacity of breath to flow and be absorbed into your body. A few minutes at the beginning and end of your day is a great habit to begin for yourself. You can repeat this exercise throughout the day, whenever you find yourself needing a moment to yourself to be.
As you do this visualize each area of your body; gathering this good new energy and bathing with healing light. This will open up your chest, diaphragm and expand your belly to make space. Allow your belly to hang out and be. Practicing your breathing is support for healthy digestion as your blood flow increases, air comes into your body all together supports gentle expansion of your intestines and its cleansing properties.
I hope you find yourself in the fullness of breath filling your deep wells with energy and health. Enjoy.
In health,
Safara
