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Stress is found in your body in the form of muscular "tension." I have mentioned that many adults grow up "armored," resulting in habitually tense muscle groups in their bodies. Sooner or later these areas will become distressed (damaged). Due to withdrawn attention those areas become "life-force-neglected." This means that those areas will not get the movement, circulation, and relaxation necessary for healthy functioning. This will eventually result in impairment — usually serious enough to cause painful, permanent, or even terminal damage. Several tools are highly effective in remedying this situation — all of which are preferable to using constant tension as a technique! There is NONE BETTER than Conscious Connected Breathing, taught to me in person by the master breather himself, Jim Leonard.*
Conscious Connected Breathing
One of the primary signs of life is whether you are breathing or not. Breath is more significant to your life than water, sunlight, or food. If you need proof, ask yourself this question: "Of breath, water, sunlight, or food, which am I willing to go an hour without?"
Breathing has another significant function: It is a physically obvious barometer read by your subconscious mind in an ongoing evaluation of your current life situation. When we feel threatened we hold our breath or breathe shallowly. (Notice the way you breathe the next time you are balancing your checkbook!) On the other hand, when we feel at peace, such as watching a beautiful sunset or experiencing "afterglow," we breathe fully and slowly.
Breathing is also unique in that it is a bodily function that can be done consciously or unconsciously. Years can go by without your deliberately controlling your breathing and still survive even if you sleep or faint or are knocked out. But you can also make a conscious choice to change your breathing pattern to benefit you. We just never knew there was a benefit to deliberately altering our breathing patterns!
Since your autonomic nervous system reads your "body language" — especially your mode of breathing — to see if there is cause for alarm (and a subsequent fight or flight response) it is in your best interests to breathe slowly and fully as often as you can remember to do so. This type of breathing sends a physiological message of serenity to your muscles, circulatory system, and glands (even if you are in a stressful situation). Most of us, however, have grown up doing shallow and disconnected breathing — constantly sending a message of panic to the blind autonomic system — resulting in unnecessary distress upon our systems.
Learn to breathe like a baby-at-peace naturally does. It is one of the most powerful forms of instant stress management in the world — and you always have it at your disposal (unless you are face down in the tub without a snorkel!).
There are two simple and powerful guidelines for breathing to your maximum benefit:
- Connect the inhale and exhale at both ends, i.e., keep the breathing totally circular.
- Relax the exhale, i.e., refrain from controlling the exhale with your stomach, chest, throat or lips. Just let the air come out of its own accord.
Practice this right now with your eyes closed for five straight minutes. Notice after about thirty seconds (when you begin to feel good) how your mind wants you to get busy with something else! This is an example of how we like to rain on our own parade!
Conscious Connected Breathing Guidelines
- You may become dizzy the first few times you do Conscious Connected Breathing, so don't take in quite so much air if it gets uncomfortable. If you like being dizzy, breathe deeper! (This is why, until you get used to it, you shouldn't operate heavy machinery while doing CCB.)
- Do CCB whenever you think of it. It is especially helpful in times of tension: getting a speeding ticket; before a job interview; facing your boss; arguing with your (or anybody else's) spouse; waiting at a railroad crossing or in line when you are in a hurry; and, worrying about anything else in the universe.
- CCB is a great way to return to dreamland if you wake up in the middle of the night and restlessly cannot go back to sleep by the usual means of pounding your pillow and screaming inside your head, "I've got to get some sleep!" Even if CCB doesn't always restore you to sleep, you will be so relaxed you won't care.
- CCB is a great way to start your day. Get up 5 minutes earlier than usual, sit up so you don't go back to sleep, and do it (CCB). Notice the difference in your morning!
- Slow and full breathing is the most peaceful. If you are afraid or angry and cannot seem to get a lot of air, at least keep your breathing connected until you can breathe more deeply.
NOTE: Now that you know how to breathe correctly, take the Doctor Zest Stress Test. It will help you to a) assess where you are today with regard to stressors; and, b) to see clearly the connection between unresolved stress and physical illness. Here is a great chance to take the CCB Challenge: read slowly through the list of stressors while continuing to breathe correctly (the CCB Way). Eventually you should be able to do this all the time, no matter what you are doing?
- It is very important to follow the two guidelines. You will get better with practice, so do it often.
* Jim Leonard passed away last year.** There was no finer brain pioneer, no finer humanitarian totally dedicated to removing the ultimate source of pain: Resistance, than Jim. Find one of the most powerful books ever written, VIVATION — The Skill of Happiness online. After you read it, practice it, use it, you will say to yourself, "I cannot even imagine a better way to spend $15!" VIVATION works! What have I got to gain lying to you? It has changed my life in so many ways that if I told you, you would say, "No way!" Yes. Way. Get it. Read it. Use it. Game of controlling the happiness in your life: Won!
** Damn, we miss you, Buddy. What I wouldn't give to hear that giggle and see that impish smile of yours.
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