I Cannot Take It Anymore!

 

 

Some yoga instructors encourage people to ‘push themselves” to their limit. Picture yourself in a yoga pose, stretching as far as you can until you feel like you will topple over thinking to yourself, “I can’t take it anymore!”

 

Breathe

What do you hear from the instructor? Breathe. Most yoga teachers really emphasize the importance of breathing (even more so than the actual postures some times). They also emphasize going at your own pace instead of comparing ourselves to everyone else in the room.

 

Oxytocin Breath

Watch what you do with your breath when you are in the midst of a relationship conflict. Take a moment right now and take a deep breath. A REALLY. DEEP. Breath.

I learned of something called an Oxytocin Breath. It’s much different than an adrenaline breath. The adrenaline breath is short and choppy whereas the Oxytocin Breath is much more relaxing by getting to a place of ‘being’ instead of ‘doing’. Watch a video here demonstrating how to do this.

 

 “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”

                                                                                               Thich Nhat Hanh

 

Why care?

Why care about where our breath is, you ask? Think about it, as soon as our breath is completely taken away – we are no longer present in the physical realm.

By being present in more meaningful ways with our breath during trying times, we can get a better hold on being able to respond instead of react. Our breath re-charges us. Doing an oxytocin breath helps keeps us calm and creates ease. Who doesn’t want more ease in their life, right?

 

Had you heard of the oxytocin breath before? What tips do you use when you are at high stress levels? Did you take a few moments to do the exercise in the video here? Please share in the comments below.