This is in response to a blog Thomas did about stress.
Back in the stone age of the 70s, I met a woman who taught a yoga class at the YMCA, in Macon Ga (Deeeep South), that I was a member of. It was one of those old YMCAs that had incredible architecture inside and out, and in one of the basement classrooms, she taught me some breathing exercises to relax and to give myself some hypnotic suggestions to achieve my goals. Remember, I came from a simpler time where a wonder of technology was the slinky…so this peaked my interest. The exercises went as follows:
She said that it involved three steps:
1. Quiet you breathing.
2. Quiet you body.
3. Quiet your mind.
Get Comfortable Now this does not involve some ridiculous yoga position that would attract attention. I am not sure I could cross my legs like that anyway. Just sit in a comfortable position.
Quiet Your Breathing. Close you eyes and breath through your nose. Focus on the air passing in and out under your nose. Think of nothing else. Your breaths should not be too deep, but deep enough to feel good and as soon as you finish your inhale…..you should exhale with no time in between. Remember focus on the air traveling in and out under your nose .Do that for two to three minutes then move your focus to your body.
Quiet Your Body Now she told me to start at a point in the back of my neck. This is a juncture…north you enter the brain….south you enter the body. She said to focus on this area and imagine that it is a warm glow…..then move it down your shoulders and arms to you fingertips……as it passes….focus on that part of your body relaxing…..almost going limp…then move it down your body to your legs, feet and toes. Repeat the path of this glow throughout your body and enjoy the relaxed feeling.
Quiet The Mind She said at this point enter the brain; focus on relieving stress and relaxing parts of your brain that are in turmoil. She also said at this point your brain is more susceptible to accept suggestion as far as changing your behavior triggered by the brain ie overeating, smoking. I read one time that the part of the brain that handles addiction like smoking, is in the front part of the brain. So I focus on the front part when I am focusing on quitting smoking.
I don’t profess to know anything about anything, only to state what works for me. I mainly use this to lower my blood pressure, but I have used this in my quit.
