To listen to the guided version of this meditation, please click here.
Today I want to lead you through a pretty simple pranayama practice or breath work.
As the title of this suggests, this is a great tool for when you have anxiety.
Before we get started, I want to take a moment to fully acknowledge any anxiety you’re feeling. Maybe even say out loud, “I am feeling anxious.” There’s a real sense of lessening the power that anxiety can have over us by simply acknowledging that “yea hey I am feeling anxious right now.” So maybe take a moment- write it down, say it out loud, or simply notice a thought to yourself.
So today we’re going to be doing the 4-7-8 breath. It’s pretty simple. I’ll count you through a few rounds. We’ll inhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 7, and exhale for a count of 8. What this does - the longer exhale - allows the nervous system to receive the signal that it’s time to settle or calm.
If inhaling for 4 feels too long, or holding for 7 feels too long - shorten them as you need to. The idea is that your exhale is longer than the inhale.
If you need to re-settle in your physical space, you can be seated. My favorite way to practice this is lying down. Get comfy in bed or anywhere else that feels relaxing to you. Maybe keep the feet planted on the Earth, knees bent. Help support the physical body + notice the grounding beneath the feet.
We’ll start with a few rounds of cleansing breath - inhale through the nose, expand the belly.
Sigh it out, let it go. Repeat x2.
If you need a few more cleansing breaths, feel free to pause and take them.
Otherwise, we’ll start our 4-7-8 breath.
Take an inhale for a count of 4, 3, 2, 1… Pause at the top + hold the breath 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Gentle exhale out the nose or mouth… 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
We’ll repeat this a few more times. Inhale for 4. Pause for 7. Exhale for 8.
Keep breathing like this at your own pace. If you need to shorten the length of each breath in or out, please do. Spend a few moments in silence focusing on this breath pattern - in for 4, hold for 7, out for 8.
Notice what arises during the pause. That in-between moment.
I hope you enjoyed this simple practice. It’s another tool to keep in the back of your toolkit for when you’re feeling anxious. Come back to the breath + slow some of those anxious thoughts in the mind.
Allow tension in the shoulders + jaw or wherever you hold tension to simply melt away.
Give yourself so compassion - anxiety can take such a toll on us. Give yourself time to rest a little longer. Maybe ask yourself, “what is it I REALLY need to do today?”
Ditching Vinyasa Yoga
A traditional vinyasa class just doesn’t do it for me anymore. I’m not sure if that’s due to my chronic pain or being an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person). But I often leave class feeling worse than when I started. Can you relate?
Most vinyasa classes start too quickly. There isn’t enough time to drop in to the body + the mind + the heart. (I won’t even get started on the choice of blaring pop music some teachers choose.)
Most people aren’t yet physically equipped to be flowing in + out of Adho Mukha Shvanasana (“down dog”) + Chaturanga Dandasana 20+ times per class. We lack the shoulder mobility due to sitting all day + having rounded shoulders.
I’m willing to bet I’m not the only person who spends too much time in my head. Therefore, I practice + teach a more grounding class. Sometimes, I may not even stand. I create time + freedom in each movement to really explore the body. The body as it is TODAY. Not in last week’s practice or where you hope to already be. But checking in RIGHT NOW.
Slow movements + connected intentional breath. That’s what yoga is to me. Not a 45-minute sweaty power flow. Is there a time + place for that kind of practice? Sure. But I enjoy challenging my body in others ways (swimming, cycling, resistance training). I practice yoga as a way to further connect back with myself. And often times, I leave a vinyasa class feeling more disconnected + anxious. Maybe I’m the only one, but if you haven’t yet connected with a “traditional” (for the West) yoga class, I encourage you to keep trying.
I’ll be drumming up some new classes for y’all soon + in the mean time, check out @au.yoga’s Monday Morning Mindfulness class. Angelina is a truly gifted teacher + I owe so much of my influence to her. Each class is intentional + well-planned + grounding + inspiring.
Ease + Release - Body Scan
To listen to this guided meditation (recommended), please click here.
Today, I want to lead you through a body scan meditation. You may choose to read through this entire blog post first + then lie down to try the scan. Or you may read shorter sections + try relaxing while reading.
Lie down if you can + get comfortable – we’ll be here for a bit. I recommend placing a bolster or pillow under the knees to help prop them up + support the low back. You may choose to place a blanket under the ribcage to help open your heart space as well.
When you’re ready - take a few deep breaths to begin. You can keep breathing in this manner – slow inhale, easy exhale – or allow your breath to return to normal.
As we scan the body, try to release any judgments of doing this right or wrong. Try not to attach to any thoughts that may arise. If your mind starts to wander, that’s ok. It’s normal. Just allow your attention to come back to these words. Let’s get started.
Bring your awareness to your face. Is your jaw tight?
Can you soften the closing of your eyelids?
Notice any tension in the face + just let it melt into the earth behind you.
Next, observe your shoulders – are they tense? Can you focus the breath there? With each inhale, bring in ease; with each exhale, relax.
Next, be conscious of your heart space. Can you breathe fully + deeply into your heart? Is there any constriction or maybe walls surrounding your heart? Soften here.
Move your focus down into the belly – with each breath in, let your belly rise to the sky. With each breath out, it melts back into your center. Again, breathe in, belly rises. Breathe out, belly melts.
Now soften your low back - let it grow heavy into the earth. Note any tension in the glutes. There’s nothing to hold onto – no need to grip. Allow the earth to fully support you here.
Note any tightness in the hips. Can you bring your breath’s awareness there? Inhale – invite in a sense of ease and softening. Exhale – relax, let go, release.
Coming down into the legs – recognize how hard your legs work day in + day out to carry you around. Let them be soothed here. Inhale ease… exhale release. Soften the quads, the knees, your calves, even the ankles relax here. Release all tension from the legs fully.
Lastly, notice your feet. Maybe scrunch the toes, create some tightening – inhale – then slow exhale, the toes are free.
Pause here + take 5 slow, deep breaths.
Observe any lasting tension in the body. Bring a soft focus there – envision a bright red light circling that area of the body – as you breathe, that red light starts to travel down the body, out the feet, + into the earth. Pause. Ground down.
Release. Release. Release.
Take a deep breath. Start to invite awareness back into your body. Begin to make small movements – wiggle fingers, toes. Stretch the body long – deep inhale. Easy exhale.