Want to increase your flexibility and lessen stress then read on.

Movement really nourishes the body, keeps the happy hormones flowing and relieves stress and tension. However, I wondered how much time you have spent just sitting and breathing. Breathing fully and deeply is a great way of opening up our body and creating fluid pathways in our fascial system (the system that connects us like the World Wide Web and is highly sensensory). Prolonged stress really closes down these pathways making your fascial system rigid and therefore your fascial system locks and you lose flexibility and ultimately mobility. Breathing kicks in your parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for not only relaxation of mind but relaxation of your muscles and fascia. Breathe to relieve! It s a win win situation.

Try spending 3 minutes of your day sitting using the following technique: 

  • Sitting comfortably on your sit bones lengthening the spine with your arms rested on your lap.
  • Contemplate how you breathe and where you usually breathe (up in the shoulders or are you a breath holder?) .
  • Try to breathe downwards towards your pelvic bowl, letting your belly expand. You can even place your hands on your belly.
  • There is no need for any core engagement here.
  • Imagine the breath now surrounding your organs travelling to your brain like a mist fuelling your body.
  • Choose the colour of the mist to signify vitality and sense the breath in mist form enveloping your whole body, expanding your ribcage 360 degrees – like a balloon expanding from within.
  • Let the mist travel to your brain and up and down your spine.
  • Pause in any areas of your body where you feel tension and let the mist hover in that area bringing warmth and release.

Let me know how you get on with this breath work.