Feeling triggered? Here is some proven help…

I was communicating via text yesterday with one of my favourite humans and she was sharing how triggering it is to be around some family members and how hard she was trying to rise above the difficult relationship dynamics. It brought to mind so many difficult situations I have had to face this past year. I have lost three family members in the last 10 months and have spoken at all three Celebrations Of Life. I used this breath practice to support myself through all of it. It is portable, powerful, and super easy to learn. I cannot recommend this practice enough. I demonstrate it in a video below.

Cyclic Sighing is the fastest physiologically verified way to meet and prevent mounting stress. For the sake of stress reduction around the clock, and improved sleep and mood, this type of breath is the best medicine. 

How to do Cyclic Sighing:

Inhale through the nose as deeply as you can, and then do a second inhale immediately afterward to maximumly inflate the lungs. 

During the second inhale or sip of air, even if it is a very short sip of air, the physical vigor necessary to create that second inhale causes the alveoli of the lungs (which collapse or lie down when we are stressed or elevated) to pop back upright. These little workhorses of the lungs start to collapse because of stress during the day or in moments of acute stress.

One Cyclic Sigh during the day is the fastest physiological way known to reduce your stress and access your calm. It moves us from fight/flight to rest/digest. 

I set a timer while walking my doggie and do five minutes of this breath. Stacking yields as the Permaculturists would say.  

As stressful situations come my way, I quietly use this breath to calm my nervous system so that I can make the best possible decisions and choices in the moment. Real-time help. I love that about this breath. I teach it to all of my yoga students, private clients, and loved ones whenever we do any kind of work together. It is that GOOD!