Awareness of Breathing: 6 Steps to Calm

Becoming aware
of the breath is a simple, meditative exercise to establish calm
breathing and inner tranquility. Awareness of breathing is an excellent,
first-aid technique for navigating difficult emotional situations and
for establishing a practice of mindful breathing, bringing many
healthful benefits.

If you find yourself holding your breath from
time to time, holding your stomach in and/or feeling stuck in
stress-tension, you will find the following information
valuable.

To shift from shallow, tense chest-breathing to deep,
relaxed abdominal breathing takes only 6 steps, all simple and do-able
at any time.

1. Sit or recline in a comfortable room with the
eyes closed. Allow thoughts to become like clouds, floating on by, one
by one.

2. Breathe in and out through the nostrils, allowing the
abdomen to expand as you inhale and exhale.

3. Put the left hand
on the upper chest area and the right hand on the abdomen, feeling the
abdomen rise and fall with the breath.

4. If your mind starts to
wander, simply re-focus your attention on your breath, letting the
sensation of breathing fill your consciousness.

5. Practice
breathing fully until slow, easy breathing comes naturally to
you.

6. Practice this exercise as long as it is comfortable for
you and repeat the steps daily until you feel yourself breathing
naturally

The breath is very important to our well-being. When
under stress, we often breathe in a shallow manner or hold our breath,
robbing our bodies of oxygen and creating more stress. Using these 6
steps, it is possible to relax the body and quiet the mind. Being aware
of the breath assists us to dwell in the present moment, one breath at a
time.

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