Saturday, October 31, 2009
This is the time of year when you want to focus on turning your energy into ourselves. You want to begin to conserve your energy for the cold winter months ahead. Here are some ways to keep yourself healthy.
Take a class in yoga, taichi, qigong, or meditation. Breathing and mindfulness are two things that are important during this season.
Begin a journal. Write down what is valuable in your life and what direction you’d like to go. This can help bring you clarity.
Visit a therapist or life coach. Talking to a professional can help you find direction and move through stuck emotions.
Make an appointment with your local acupuncturist for a “tune-up”. This can help keep your body in balance during the fall season.
Breathing Exercise
Breathing exercises are a great way to calm your mind and help move congested energy in your lungs. To begin, find a space where you can sit or lie quietly for at least 5 minutes. Begin by taking 5 long, deep breathes in and out through your nose. On your inhale concentrate on filling your lungs as much as you can. Pause for a couple seconds, then exhale, completely emptying out your lungs. After the 5 warm-up breathes you will do breathing and reverse breathing. This exercise is said to reset your lungs and should be done everyday. Take an equal number of breathes and reverse breathes. Do at least 5 of each.
Breathing: Inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth. On your inhale expand your abdomen, filling your lungs as much as you can. On your exhale pull your abdomen in, exhaling completely. Don’t be afraid to breathe loudly.
Reverse Breathing: Again inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. This time on the inhale pull your abdomen in, inhaling completely. On your exhale allow your abdomen to relax and expand. Exhale completely.
End by sitting or lying quietly breathing long and deep through your nose for 1-10 minutes.