Whether it be on your mat or in life, you feel it when you’re disconnected. Sometimes it takes us a while to notice but if you’ve been in that place where you are able to connect with your self on a deep level, then it doesn’t take too much to come back to that space.

 

How do we do that?

 

There are a number of ways… Here are some I thought of:

  • Breathwork. Simply noticing your breath and quietening internal and external chatter
  • Grounding. Whether that be through mindfulness, meditation, or by walking barefoot on the beach. There are many ways to ground. Whatever resonates is great. Just feel the parts of your body in connection with the earth and begin from there. Try these grounding yin classes:
  1. Yin Yoga – Root Chakra – 40 minutes
  2. Yin Yoga – Calming and Grounding Practice – 30 minutes
  • Take some time to be alone.
  • Movement can be grounding as well, just be sure that it’s what you need and not depleting you more
  • Talking to someone can provide you with the gentle wisdom you need to find a state of inner calm.

If you can find ‘your thing’ that grounds you, over time and with practice you will be able to weather any storms that arise with a sense of ease and grace. Sure there will be the odd flip out but we’re able to reign things in and connect to what we really need. As we know, being constantly ‘busy’ is not healthy.

There are many breathing techniques but two main ones are diaphragmatic and belly breathing.

Diaphragmatic Breath:

Take a breath in, exhale and draw your navel back to the spine. Feel a narrowing of the waist like you’re tightening a corset. Inhale keeping the corset on and feel the sides of the ribs expand, exhale feel the pelvic floor and navel gently lift up. Each inhale is not a release of the abdominals, they keep wrapping in, and each exhale is a chance to reconnect.

Belly Breathing:

Inhale through your nose and direct your breath down into the stomach feeling it expand and fill up like a balloon. Exhale and let the belly deflate and the muscles and organs drop heavily towards the back of your body. Let this breath be subtle and lingering. You can also progress to pausing at the top of your inhale and the bottom of your exhale, or count your inhales and exhales (pranayama techniques that are wonderful to calm the nervous system.

 

There is a place for both of these breath techniques in movement. Diaphragmatic should be used for engagement, stability and support in our Hatha and Vinyasa style yoga, along with during Pilates and Barre classes. Belly breathing is wonderful in Yin yoga, and for relaxation in general.

Whichever breath you’re using they will help you to connect with your inner landscape for a mindful practice, whether that is in movement practice, stillness or daily life. x