This week’s blog post is a bit of a place holder… I was unexpectedly in hospital last week and am still not 100%. Had to cancel the week of work as I started feeling better every day myself. And what better way to pause than with some simple and effective Pranayama (yogic breath practices)?

Experiment with different types of breath practice

The only kind of yoga, apart from some VERY gentle seated stretches, I’ve been able to manage this week have been breath practices. Just as we can choose the way we want to feel and choose our poses accordingly, we can do the same with the breath.

A simple mindful breath practice offers a wonderful starting point.

Ujjayi breath helps you build on this and tones the vagus nerve.

Kapalabhati lifts the nervous system for (with the calming breaths) improving heart rate variability and being an excellent cleansing breath.

Alternate Nostril Breath helps balance both sides of the brain, both branches of the nervous system and brings a sense of balance emotionally, too. It can also, when done early enough, keep a cold/flu from kicking in fully.

Brahmari is an instant mood boost. Stopping rumination with the simple act, it also supports memory and is calming as well as uplifting.

Three part breath helps familiarise you with the way the lungs and body feel in different stages of breath practices.

Chanting naturally lengthens the exhalation while also empowering expression as you get more used to using and hearing your voice

Dirga breath helps with lung capacity and offers more freshness as the deep emptying of the lungs allows more oxygen in

Experiment with some/all of them HERE

Which is your favourite yogic or other breath practice?

Feel free to email eve@selfcarecoaching.net to let me know.

And please do feel free to share this post on your social media etc so others who may find it helpful can read it.

With love,

Eve Menezes Cunningham self care coach therapist supervisor

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