This powerful exercise seems so simple you may think, no way this can work. And while this one exercise, accompanied with others can be so effective to heal and or manage these conditions, I would like to break this one down.
Do you know if you are just a chest breather, or a stomach breather? How about do you notice and know if your diaphragm ever expands enough where you’re able to breathe into your back body and side body!
When I was going through massage school in California I was learning how trauma is stored in the body but, also stress and how those areas can get shut off and we can hold those areas in our body in a guarded, rigid way, – non flexible, free or relaxed. And one of the many ways to unwind this pattern Is to breathe in a full, natural way, breathing into to our chest, stomach, side of our ribcage and our back body – upper, mid and lower back. Relaxed and fluid.
When I learned this and noticed this within my own body I began to practice breathing in this way. It was really hard at first and I would feel a lot of nausea during this exercise of breathing properly and breathing in my shot off guarded stomach. Which is very normal during this rewiring, healing practice because I was breathing into areas that were shut off, guarded, and protecting. I only breathed in my chest in a shallow way, It took a lot of awareness and practice. But, I was committed and was able to create a new pattern within my body. as well as worked with thousands of others to do the same.
So when we breathe we should breathe into our front body – chest and belly, and side body of our ribcage and our back body, – upper, mid, and low back.
Learning to do this daily in a controlled structured way will eventually spill over into our daily lives to breathe like this more naturally. But, also when we are experiencing chronic pain, stress, and anxiety. Because we can go deeper with this exercise to experience more profound results in healing and managing these conditions. To go deeper it will look like this.
You need to first find where in your body you feel the anxiety, the stress, the chronic pain. And then bring not only your full attention to that area, but bring intentional breath there and visualize bringing a bright light there, as we go into that area with our smooth flowing free breath and the image of light we can begin to then visualize and soften into that area. Soften the tension. And be present there. It’s helpful to practice with someone who teaches this, like myself. However, you can learn to do this on your own with lots of repetitive practice.
And just like with practicing meditation and other things, one needs to practice an exercise over and over and over until you get the knowledge viscerally, inside your body. So if it feels hard at first and for a while you may think that you are doing it wrong. But, it just takes time, keep at it, as it does take time to rewire and create a new neurological pattern within your body and brain.
Regardless, in the mean time it is still an effective practice because the deeper, more free flowing breathing you can have it will regulate your nervous system, as well as alleviate the tension, anxiety and stress. You will just be going deeper into healing and managing when your body is able to do the exercise fully. And as your body learns to breathe more deeply you can practice having longer exhales than your inhales. This helps tremendously with these conditions.
The beautiful, most incredible, brilliant thing is our body and brain has the ability to rewire guarding patterns. It Just takes repetition of practice with specific exercises for the new patterns to develop neurologically.
After all these years of facilitating healing in others, and in my own healing journey I am still in awe of the bodies ability to heal and manage pain and all conditions.
Sometimes chronic pain doesn’t go away, yes, sometimes that does happen. However, I have seen it in so many people where they can learn how to manage it. We can train the body. How cool is that?
Physical pain is the same challenge as emotional pain. And we can learn to heal and manage it. We can be free from it defining us and controlling our lives, and from stealing of joy and peace.
I will be going deeper into this in more blog posts. With more helpful exercises. And if you’d like more instruction one on one session with me pleases message or email me. I’d love to work with you and share my experience and knowledge of almost 30 years.
We have come along way in learning about the body and the brain. And you don’t have to live suffering.
Until next time, keep smiling,
Lisa Alarie
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