Breathe!

Simple. Powerful practices. Relax and Heal.

What you'll learn

Breathe diaphragmatically

Practice the four components of healthy breathing

Practice mindfulness of breathing and relaxation all day long

Use breathing clues to be aware of emotions

Use breathing to relax and calm emotion

Down-regulate the nervous system to dissolve anxiety and stress

Requirements

Everyone who breathes already has what they need before the course begins. There are no prerequisites for the course.

Description

Smooth, relaxed diaphragmatic breathing is more important to your health and well-being than anything else you could do! This is quite a claim, right? It’s backed up by science and my experience teaching people meditation for over twenty years.Breath is the first-responder in our nervous system and alerts us to danger, anxiety or stress. Smooth, even, continuous, diaphragmatic breathing is the most powerful way to self-regulate the nervous system and emotion. By the end of this course you will understand healthy breathing and why it is important to you.The mind can be our best friend and our worst enemy. Compulsive and compelling thoughts hijack our attention, especially when we try to sleep. You don’t have to follow along helplessly. Train your mind and body to relax and focus. Minding the gap, the transition points between breathing in and breathing out, provides a stable focus for the mind.Our bodies know how to do this! Simple, guided practices walk you through the process and allow you to relax as you breathe. Stress and contraction lock in an unhealthy pattern of shorter breaths higher in the chest. Relaxing your stomach muscles allows the body to reestablish natural breathing. We count the length of our breath and the number of breaths until a consistent rhythmic breath becomes second nature once again.  

Each segment of the course features a video and a practice so you can feel the benefits immediately. The practices are under 5 minutes, perfect for fitting them in to a busy life. Downloadable audios of these and longer guided practices allow you to take them with you on your phone or other mobile device.Habits develop over time. In two minutes you will notice an immediate change. In a month or two, you can transform your breathing habits to support your own optimal health. This works!

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Why work with your breath?

Lecture 2 Healthy Natural Breathing

Lecture 3 Emotions and Your Breath

Lecture 4 Breathing Diaphragmatically

Lecture 5 Nostril Breathing

Lecture 6 Even Length of Breath

Lecture 7 Four Qualities of Healthy Breathing

Section 2: Guided Practices

Lecture 8 Diaphragmatic Breathing in Shavasana (lie relaxed on your back)

Lecture 9 Diaphragmatic Breathing from Crocodile (lie on your front)

Lecture 10 Focus Your Mind with Mindfulness of Breath

Lecture 11 Relax and Breathe Guided Practice

Lecture 12 Panic and Anxiety: Breathing for a Quick Reset

Lecture 13 Alternate Nostril Breathing

Lecture 14 Breathe into Stillness

Is your breath shallow and rapid? Do you hold your breath when you're stressed or depressed? Is your breath pattern jerky or do you mostly breathe high in the chest? Learn these simple ways of breathing for optimal health and well-being.