60 SECOND STRESS BUSTERS

Daily stresses often manifest physically in constricted, shallow breathing. Try these easy, quick and most of all, effective, breathing techniques to restore calm rapidly. Bringing mind awareness to deepening the breath immediately turns on the parasympathetic restorative nervous system to safely help release accumulated stress.

3 DEEP BREATHS
Ground and centre yourself quickly by taking 3 long, slow, deep breaths and in between each breath say the words ‘Deeper Relaxed’.
CALMING BREATH / TUMMY BREATHING
• Lie on your back or sit comfortably. Place the right hand on the abdomen and the left hand on the chest.
• Inhaling through the nose, first fill the abdomen with air, then allow the lungs to fill.
• Hold the breath briefly, then slowly exhale through the nose, allowing the abdomen to empty first, then the chest. Notice which hand moves up and down as you breathe.
• Aim to keep the left hand still and breathe down into the abdomen so the right hand moves as you breathe, filling the abdomen, hips, pelvis and lower back.
• Complete 5 of these breath cycles, rest a minute or so and then repeat the cycle again, imagining that air can flow into any part of the body that needs it.
• Practice this Calming Breath or Tummy Breathing until it becomes a habit.

TRIANGULAR BREATHING
Inhale through the nose for a count of four, hold for a count of four, then exhale through the nose for a count of four. Repeat for 5 breath cycles, take a brief break, and then repeat, this time imagining that the air can flow into any part of the body that needs it. Notice the results.
PURIFYING BREATH
Imagine that the body is surrounded by light, healing sound or healing presence. Imagine that as you inhale, you are sending that light, sound or presence into your abdomen and chest, and then throughout the rest of your body. As you exhale, imagine what is being released from your body - perhaps tension, discomfort, pain, stress, worry, and so on. Repeat this for 5 -10 breath cycles.
BODY SAFE PLACE OR SANCTUARY
Repeat the breathing you prefer most for 5 breath cycles. Then find the part of the body that is most like a refuge (most free of uncomfortable feelings). As you repeat the breathing for another 5 breath cycles, imagine that you can curl up there to rest, like a cat in the sun. What is this like for you?