Yoga emphasises on the power of breathing

How to find Calm in Chaos?

by | Spiritualiity, Yoga

We can no more pretend the world is the same as we knew few weeks back. Life as we are used to has come to a standstill. Some might believe its moving painfully slow. The entire world has shifted gears to manage the crisis. If it makes you feel any better – You are not in this, alone!

We have been used to the fast lane. “Busy”ness was normal. Chasing Career goals, Financial Goals, Fitness Goals, relationship goals and more…, it has been a constant race.

As Jane Austin said – Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.

We have now been forced to slow down, almost instantly!!!

Its time to Slow down to Speed-up!

With so much negative information constantly showing up, how do you stand on your two feet when your knees are shaking?

This reminds me of a Kung Fu movie I once saw. There is this young man who is pit to fight the Jade King, a powerful opponent, the night before the fight the young man is nervous and anxious. He goes-up to his Master and expresses his fears :
What if I can’t beat him tomorrow?
What if I forget the moves?
If I fail?
His master smiles at him and says “Remember to breathe”!

We often get ahead of ourselves imagining the worst. Research shows that out of the infinite possibilities people often choose the worst possible outcome. Isn’t it?

We often ignore the the very thread that binds us to life, “Breathe“. Yoga emphasises on the power of breathing and there have been numerous yogic breathing techniques given, which are popularly known as “Pranayama”. Firstly, when you breath deeply and fully, there is enough oxygen supply in your body and it relaxes your nervous system. Secondly, deep breathing activates your Parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for “Rest & Digest” state. So, in this state you are able to think clearly, have better decision making power and are open to possibilities.

Here is a Zen practice you could borrow to find the ground beneath and find your balance.
We call this technique as “Pranic Breathing”.

1. Sit comfortably with your spine straight.
2. Place one hand on your heart and the other on your stomach.
3. Inhale deeply and observe your stomach expand.
4. Exhale fully while the stomach goes in.
5. Repeat this for 10 times.

Research proves that you can calm your nervous system by deep breathing just 10 times. That’s the power of breathing. Try it to believe it!
The next time you are Anxious or worried or fearful, all you need to do is bring your awareness to your breath, in less than 2 mins you will be able to shift your state of being, Just breathe!

Just Breathe