De-Stressing with Pranayama

Oh my, it's that time of year and we all are running around shopping, eating, laughing, crying, travelling, partying and more, more, more!  How do we stay grounded?

For myself, when I find I'm no longer connecting to myself like I usually do, I give myself 10 minutes a day to stop and just breath.  If I have a little extra time, I walk to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, head into the housed section and practice Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (a breathing exercise).  The air is so clean, so fresh and so delicious.  I can literally feel the benefits as I practice.  I imagine my blood cells taking in the fresh oxygen and flowing through my body.  When I leave, I feel balanced, purified and ready for whatever's next.

Come to a comfortable seated position.  Keep the spine straight and tall.  Gently close your eyes.  Shift your focus to your breath.  

Place your left hand on your left knee or your belly.  

Bring you right hand close to your nose.  Keep the thumb and little finger out, the rest of the fingers can rest folded over into the palm of the hand.

Take a deep inhale.  Cover the right nostril with your right thumb and exhale fully through the left nostril.  Inhale deeply through the left nostril.  Hold the breath.  Remove the thumb and place the right little finger on the left nostril.  Exhale fully through the right nostril, inhale through the right nostril.  Hold the breath.  Switch hand position.  Little finger is removed and thumb is placed on the right nostril.  Exhale left, inhale left.  Hold.  Switch.  Exhale right, inhale right.  Hold.  Switch.  

Continue this for 5-10 breaths and add on as you feel comfortable.  

When you're ready to release, take a final exhale through the left nostril, then place your right hand on your right knee.  Come back to your regular breath.  Notice how you feel.

The benefits of Nadi Shodhana are enormous.  It is a wonderful practice to release stress, decrease anxiety and calm the mind.  It also balances the right and left hemispheres of the brain and promotes clear thinking.  Nadi Shodhana is a wonderful breath to practice before going to sleep.  

Even if it sounds silly, give yourself just a few minutes to try it out.  

The Holidays can be far too stressful of a time for some people and so many of us have no bearings to go from.  Your breath is a tool for your mind and body.  Don't be afraid to use it.

Ahhh... much better.