Moderate Anxiety
66 – 102
Anxiety appears to be showing up notably in your life, and probably ebbs and flows. You may be going through a particularly stressful time and it is more intense. Or perhaps you have lived with stress, worry, and overwhelm for a long time, and are just realizing what an impact it has on you.
If anxiety is starting to become an issue for you, it’s important to take steps to change the patterns in your thoughts and behaviors, and to calm the nervous system. There are a number of practices that help calm anxiety as well as encourage your spiritual growth. Beginning to integrate these practices in your day-to-day life will help you take the power back into your hands, rather than anxiety running your life.
Here is a simple, accessible exercise that can make a difference if you practice it regularly. If you are a yoga practitioner, most of this will be familiar, so here’s your reminder to practice this calming technique.
Anxiety Calming Breath
- Begin by sitting comfortably; if you wish, this exercise can be done lying down. If it feels right, close your eyes, so you can focus your attention inward.
- Place one hand on your belly, and the other on your heart. At any time, if you get tired of holding them there, it’s fine to let them relax. But begin with a hand at each spot to bring awareness to the area.
- As you inhale, breathe down into your belly under your hand. Allow the breath to fill your torso up under your hand at the heart. Exhale slowly in reverse, from the upper chest down to the belly. Do this for a few rounds.
- Relax for a bit and notice what you feel.
- Next, we will add on a count for the breath.Inhale to a count of 4 (if possible – it’s OK to shorten either part of the breath if it’s too long for you); hold briefly; then exhale to a count of 6, and briefly hold at the bottom of the exhalation. Repeat 3-7 times, or longer if you wish!
- You can extend the exhalation even more, if it’s comfortable to you, to a 1:2 ratio (4 counts for the inhalation and 8 counts for the exhalation). Lengthening the exhalation, as long as it is relatively easy for you, encourages the relaxation response in the body.
- Again, notice how you feel. This practice calms the nervous system and also helps soothe and quiet the mind by developing a specific focus of the attention.
If you have had it with the anxiety and stress in your life, it’s time to take action. You don’t need to suffer anymore!
As a psychotherapist and yoga teacher for many years, I know that an intensive, focused program with ongoing support can make a huge difference in returning you to calm and confidence. That’s why I created the Awakening from Anxiety online program.
Look for an email with a date and link to a free webinar to learn more tips and answer questions you might have about your anxiety, and what the Awakening from Anxiety program offers.
Don’t want to wait? Contact me to schedule a free call to see if it’s right for you!
