breath(e)
meditation can just not work. our hyper-aroused minds may not let us, sitting still causes physical or emotional pain, or the picture or idea we have of the act precludes engagement.
regardless of what is going on upstairs or downstairs, our breath is the most direct gateway to our nervous system, and unlike other more obscure emotional or physical processes, we have an amazing amount of agency over it. controlling the breath is to have a direct grip on the intensity dial of our experiences, or on the speed of our thoughts.
guided practices that can be done in public
- 10 minute nervous system calming breath work
- 15 minute slow breathing practice
- 10 minute slow breathing pratctice [really truly swear by learning this method of ultra slow, ultra light diaphragamatic breathing. it is life changing]
guided practices to be done alone
you may want to do this in private as they involve heavy sighing and/or humming and/or gentle movement. or you may want to fuck with respectability politics.
breath plus gentle movement - 30 mins #breathing
20 minutes of breathing and gentle movement/nervous system calming #breathing and #movement
5 minute calming breath practice #breathing
10 minute breath practice with humming #breathing
self-guided practices to be done anywhere
box-breathing (inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4 - repeat)
extended exhalations (inhale for 4 or 6, exhale for 8 or 10, the longer and slower the exhale the better)
nadhi shodhana - alternate nostril breathing
