"When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire." ? Quote from an 11-year-old's science exam
John Grinder, co-creator of NLP talks about the link between respiration, physiology, internal state and high performance. He calls this 'the chain of excellence'. I recently read a book by Osho, the wonderfully non-PC mystic and guru. In the book, Osho instructed the reader to pay attention to their breathing rate when they were sad, and notice the timing of the in-breath and out-breath. He explained that next time they were happy, they could re-induce the sad state by merely repeating the breathing pattern. Fortunately, he added, it works the other way round too!
Follow some or all of these exercises;
Firstly; When you are experiencing a powerful, positive state, allow yourself to become aware of your breathing rate. Pay particular attention to the timing and rhythm of your in-breath and out-breath.
Secondly; Next time you are in a neutral or negative state, start breathing at the rate and rhythm from exercise one, and within a minute or so, the positive state should begin to return.
Many gurus advise people to do breathing exercises regularly. I know Tony Robbins does in his marvellous book "Unlimited Power" he advises that you start each day with a breathing exercise of inhaling slowly and deeply, then holding it for twice as long as the inhalation and exhaling in twice the pace. It really is invigorating and a great way to get motivated at the start of the day, especially if you are looking to do some things with your day that require motivation.
Breathing is powerful, our life force and is a major factor influencing our state of mind (if you uncertain about this, hold your breath for two minutes & re-read this sentence) This being the case, please use your common sense when doing any of these exercises (if you have a respiratory condition, please check with your health advisor first.) I do not want any asthmatics complaining that they did themselves harm following these exercises!!
So, thirdly; Start breathing comfortably but deeply, in through your nose & out through your mouth. Imagine that you are breathing from that area of your abdomen just beneath your belly button. Make the in-breath last to a count of 5 and the out-breath to a count of 6. Continue for at least 2 minutes, and notice what happens.
This 5:6 ratio seems to be a simple yet powerful way you can induce a relaxed state at will. The art of Yogic breathing is called Pranayama. Pranayama offers many different approaches for cleansing the mind & body through breathing exercises. Here's one of them (with thanks to RA Wilson):
Fourthly (this may seem a bit odd to do, I'd recommend not doing this in front of friends or at work!) ; Lie on your back & pant like a dog, breathing rapidly in & out through your mouth 20 times. Then, breathe slowly, deeply and gently in and out 20 times through your nose. Once again, do the mouth-panting 20 times, then resume gentle nose-breathing. Notice what happens.
This technique is referred to as the breath of fire, and typically results in a state of? well, you find out!
These techniques can be very powerfully utilised when wanting to get in control of your state if you are going through a period of change such as reducing your weight, stopping smoking or developing more confidence.
Please remember that most people don't breathe nearly enough. Start to breathe more deeply and notice how much better you feel. Have lots of fun with this. Notice how good you can make your self feel when you breathe differently.
Copyright 2005 Adam Eason. All Rights Reserved.
Adam Eason is an author, consultant, trainer and motivational speaker in the fields of hypnosis, nlp, personal development and human potential. His website is filled with information, stimulating articles, resources and uniques products.
Visit to also receive a free, unique hypnosis, nlp, personal development and human potential, instantly downloadable, to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
whole house cleaning Deerfield ..Do you ever fret? In today's materialistic age, sometimes fretting... Read More
1) Create the life you desireTwo of our most underdeveloped... Read More
The pace of life seems to quicken every year. More... Read More
Recently the well known American news anchor Peter Jennings died... Read More
There are times in every person's life when things do... Read More
Today we have more stress in our lives than ever... Read More
Syndicated columnist Dale Dauten recently wrote, "One of life's great... Read More
Traffic jams. Toddler tantrums. Deadlines at work. Money troubles. Too... Read More
When was the last time that you truly took a... Read More
Stress ReliefStress is a big business in Western society. We... Read More
Rest.It's a good thing to do. As the story goes,... Read More
A stressless lifestyle? That's very easy to say. Yet it... Read More
Stress is normal. Stress is OK. Stress is the same... Read More
At what age does the benefit of play cease? Child... Read More
Defending your point of view can use up a lot... Read More
Here's a fun little experiment:Take a few seconds and look... Read More
"Learn how to turn frustration into fascination. You will learn... Read More
Get at least 15 minutes of sunshine daily.Daily Exercise -... Read More
It is no secret that stress and related disorders are... Read More
Question 1"How do I get more time to play?"Answer: Schedule... Read More
All people experience stress and anxiety in one form or... Read More
Seems like more and more they are all around us.... Read More
A friend has this quotation on his office wall: "I... Read More
Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Stress at Home1. Create... Read More
"One day I'm a mother, One day I'm a lover,... Read More
home cleaning services Des Plaines ..Something the successful business person needs is - lots of... Read More
Life is so busy and as mothers we spend so... Read More
ResentmentsA wise friend once said that holding onto resentments is... Read More
Imagine driving down the road. You are driving with a... Read More
Whenever we think of 'stress', negative thoughts come into our... Read More
My first real job (schedule, time clock, paycheck, boss) was... Read More
Raise your hand if you have ever been rejected by... Read More
When Army leaders fail to control battlefield stress, they lose... Read More
Deadlines at work, demanding bosses, bills to be paid at... Read More
Seventy-five percent of all our problems ? both emotional and... Read More
I just got through reading some troubling news in the... Read More
"We do not stop playing because we grow old. We... Read More
Here's a fun little experiment:Take a few seconds and look... Read More
Worry, big or small blocks positive vibrations from entering your... Read More
No this is not related to praying, this is how... Read More
If you find symptoms of anxiety disorder in any of... Read More
My son was watching a Richard Scarry video this morning... Read More
If you suffer from insomnia of any kind, the chances... Read More
When we think about stress in the workplace, we usually... Read More
One question that is not asked enough by people under... Read More
"Watch your language."We all heard this admonition as kids and... Read More
Stress, America's #1 health problem, is a leading cause of... Read More
Q. I've been told that I need to learn from... Read More
Recently I completed some new workshop engagements in addition to... Read More
Stress is often seen as being unhealthy, but for some... Read More
Stress Management |