1,2,3..Breathe! Developing a sense of inner-security

As I rambled on in the past few posts about inner-security, and reconnecting to this sense of secure feelings about oneself in order to move forward in confidence, I promised a practical breathing exercise that is specifically designed to work with this connection and its development.

This exercise is easy to practice, and it is one of my absolute favorites to work with! I appreciate those little exercises that are easily incorporated into busy schedules, and energy conservation is the key when picking them. They must take little time, must be do-able anywhere, and prove to create the greatest effects in cultivating necessities in the context of real life interaction with our environments, whether they be personal relations, workplace, or whatever.

As you get used to practicing and using it, it can even be done while waiting at a stoplight in traffic in the morning on your way to work. It calms and is centering, which is a great way to begin the morning. Try it throughout the day; for example, before picking up the kids, or before a presentation or meeting.

How long should you practice in each sitting? Whatever you have time for, whether it be two minutes, or a half an hour.

Most of my training within the arts is in a specific, practical Japanese system and the Eastern Philosophies, although in tracing the techniques, we know that their origins stem from another place and another time. I just had to throw that in there, because where my training is concerned, I'm a lover of history. I need to know the context of historical development before implementing theory into practice.

This little exercise with enormous effects is called, Joshin Kokyu Ho, roughly (very roughly) translated into English.

Joshin means pure mind, kokyu means breath or respiration, and ho means method. All together it means focusing the mind on one thing with breath. It is used to focus the mind on this center in repetition and practice, in order to develop and cultivate it into a state of being. The practice is a technique of basic or elementary training, before other development can move forth from a position of strength and balance. With practice it leads to wonderful feelings of confidence, and there is an immediate effect of calmness.

1. Do this exercise in sitting position. It does not matter where you are sitting, just make sure that you do not cross your legs as we often do when sitting in a chair. What I mean by this, is not crossing one leg over another. You can sit cross-legged, or with both feet planted on the floor.

2. You may want to try this at home before trying it in traffic or at work until you get used to it. This is because in the beginning it helps to close the eyes, so that you can better notice the sense of what is happening. This awareness is called, "sensing Ki", or noticing energy, which in this case is oxygen through the process of breathing. Energy just means the ability to do work.

3. Place both hands on your lower abdomen, relax your shoulders and arms, and breathe deeply a couple of times to relax. You are going to be breathing in through the nose, and out through your mouth. Practice this a little until it is natural before you begin, and incorporate focus of mind.

4. Ready to begin? With each in-breath feel the air/oxygen/energy coming in through your nose, and follow it with your focus, down to your lower abdomen. Your hands will sense your abdomen expanding. You may notice that you cannot remember the last time you breathed this deeply, but this is how you should always be breathing. You can hold your breath a little the first couple of times, which enables you to become accustomed to this feeling. When you get the hang of it let it flow, yet breathe slowly.

5. On the out-breath, expand the oxygen/energy out of your entire body, through the skin and continue to expand it out into the surroundings. Even though you are practically breathing out through your mouth, your created sense is that you are pushing it out of your entire body. One important point that I would like to mention, is that this is not a 'visualizing' exercise for your thoughts. It is done as pure "feeling". Your mind should be empty of thought and image, which leads to yet another immediate benefit of relaxation through emptying the mind of busy 'talk' and imagery.

As you breathe, let your energy take up as much space around you as possible. In other words, keep expanding it further out with each breath. As you relax and center, you will be left with a sense of your own energy around you, where you do not have to 'move aside' for others, or put everyone else before yourself in order to feel that you are allowed to 'be'.

In this way, fear and insecurity to claim your space and place in your environment, gently disperses. You allow yourself to be, to have space, and relax in it. In creating awareness about it, you remain focused on this principle throughout your day. As a consequence you will also become aware of those situations in which you go into hiding within yourself in relation to others, or allow them your space, or however you would describe it, as a result of not remaining connected to core inner-security.

Enjoy the immediate effects, as repeated practice works with your nature, and your long-term development.

For all of you that enjoy feeling good, remaining healthy, and for the biochemistry buffs out there, did you know that deep breathing creates a more alkaline internal environment? Releasing tension is also energy conservation for the body, which again means that any nourishment that you give your body through food, is utilized more optimally. Why does this matter? Well, it ultimately means that we feel more energetic in the "now of today". It requires a lot of energy to remain in emotional and mental tension, and it wreaks havoc on longterm health and well-being. Relaxing contributes to a long list of personal benefits.


Good luck, and best wishes!

Simplifying Life and Love
Tamera Daun© www.pentad.no


image;
man, http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/nsba/breakout/3b/present
boy, http://www.jmundyphotography.com/china/thumbnails/