By Elif Ahmad
In our modern world, daily demands and distractions are plenty. In this same modern world is a pill for every ill, and, to be fair, a supplement to satisfy our every whim. Because our nonstop culture has us running around all day for most of the year, we have little time to ourselves. And because we have little time to ourselves, we easily lose touch with our Self, and with our body. Prevention of disease is not much different. Prevention is approached from the outside-in. (I’ll spare you the book I could write on the link between our culture and disease). This isn’t “health”. Nor is it healthy. It’s no wonder we feel so scattered, chronically stressed, anxious, depleted, disconnected…. and feeling sick.
In his book, The Energy Experiments: Science Reveals Our Natural Power to Heal”, Gary Schwartz, PhD points out that the word “health” comes from the Old English word meaning “whole”. Health is wholeness, and it’s something that many of us chase after in our western world with pills and potions. Health is not just of the physical body, though. It embraces body-mind-spirit. When one is out of balance, it affects the other two.
What if you became aware of the power of the breath: that deep breathing can reconnect us to a state of health (wholeness in body-mind-spirit)?
(I don’t have time for this, you may be thinking.)
The breath is our anchor. Deep breathing grounds us, it brings us out of the busy mind and into the heart, and it is known to reduce inflammation.
A few minutes of daily deep breathing can calm the mind, lower our heart rate, improve digestion, help with asthma, lower blood pressure, decrease chronic pain, detox the body while improving the immune system, help with anxiety, energize us, and so much more. Deep breathing can help us with problem-solving, and increase productivity in our lives.
Can you spare 5-10 minutes a day? I believe we all can.
Perhaps start with 5 minutes when you first open your eyes, then 5 minutes before bed.
What do you think would happen, if you spent 5-10 minutes a day to sit and practice proper deep breathing?
When we are in a state of calm and relaxation, we can tune into our body and connect with our spirit. With daily practice, we would be able to hear the messages from our cells and the whisper of our intuition.
Wholeness (health in body-mind-spirit) is our natural state of being. Practicing proper deep breathing for 5-10 minutes a day helps us remember and re-connect to our
natural state, and has a slew of positive benefits for the body. (Check out links below for more).
Do you need some assistance with initiating the relaxation response? I can help.
Elif Ahmad is a Certified Reiki Master Teacher, Certified Consulting Hypnotist, researcher of Mind-Body Science and Energy Medicine for over 14 years, and founder of the grassroots, holistic nonprofit Connecticut Center For Mind-Body Enrichment, Inc.
Check out these links:
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* Disclaimer: Please do not stop taking any medications without the consent of a qualified medical professional. The following is intended for educational and informative use only.*
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