January is my favorite month to go into hibernation. I’m absolutely no fan of 10-Day challenges, supporting new year resolutions. I am a big fan of simple life hacks, tiny habits or anything else that upgrades life quality in general. But I found one challenge I did like, leading into my new favorite habit. What it is? Just breathe…
Just breathe also happens to be one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs. The breath is an important topic in the Yin Yoga teacher training and any yoga practice for that manner. This January, in my spare time, I’ve been reading The Power of Vital Force by Rajshree Patel. And I participated in her 10-Day More Energy, More Life Challenge. Rajshree Patel used to be a lawyer in the USA, and is now travelling the world teaching about ancient Indian Vedanta practices. Since I longed for more energy, rather than effectiveness, I was curious about the challenge and the book.
A busy mind is the biggest vital energy hog of all. It’s a monster machine that burns up fuel like there’s no tomorrow.
Rajshree Patel
My favorite practice from the 10-Day challenge is to pause and take 10 long, deep breaths:
- First thing when I wake up, to close the sleep cycle;
- When I arrive at the office, because usually a lot of stress is triggered between waking up and reaching the office;
- When I’m ready to go home, to close the working day;
- Before I go to sleep, to wrap up the day.
We spend most of our lives operating from the sympathetic nervous system, a.k.a. the fight-flight-freeze system, according to Patel. To breathe consciously, is the fastest and simplest way to reduce stress. It helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to rest, relax and rejuvenate. Are you familiar with this ‘ inspirational’ quote? My mind is like my internet browser. 19 tabs open, 3 of them are frozen. And I have no idea where the music is coming from. Ten deep, long breaths simply help to close some of these tabs and save you a lot of energy.
And it worked. When breathing consciously in these particular moments, I felt more grounded and my mind was suddenly empty. It felt like charging my battery. And it created space for creativity. Also, when I forgot to do it, I felt less at ease and had little patience to respond to challenges in the office. The difference was significant. Despite my yoga practice, I’m not the kind of person to sit on a cushion to meditate. But this fairly easy and tiny habit can be applied everywhere, any time. If you try it, I’m curious what it will do for you too!
You can order The Power of Vital Force by Rajshree Patel here. A Dutch translation is on its way.
Essence of Change 