Peachester Natural Therapies

Breathe Spaciousness Into Your Body:

“Give your body breathing space and you’ll create more space in your life”

Is your body clenching, sucking it all in, squished and tight? Or perhaps today, it’s feeling relaxed, open, spacious and coping well with whatever life throws at it.

You’ll never know though (if it’s closed or spacious) unless you mindfully take the time to check in with how your body is travelling on any given day. The earlier you catch disappearing spaciousness the easier it will be to come back to a relaxed and spacious body and a more relaxed spacious you. And, you gota love that.

A simple 2 minute ritual of actually breathing more space into your body can dramatically alter the whole mood, flow and experience of your day. Guaranteed!!! Remember this handy mantra “Spaciousness goes where the breath flows”.

Take a moment to notice your body now.

Is your body pushing through the day with the “hand brake” on – closed and tight …… or cruising along nicely in fourth gear – relaxed and open? Perhaps you are somewhere in between.

If your shoulders become slumped, rounded or tight, you lose spaciousness not to mention a deficiency for your heart chakra.

If you’re feeling anxious your stomach is likely to tighten and tense and you lose spaciousness.

If you chew your nails your jaw is likely to be clenched losing spaciousness.

Feel or sense each inhale slowly invite a little more spaciousness into your shoulders, neck or elsewhere and then use your exhale – deliberately – with a little force – as it encourages releasing and letting go. After 5, 6 or even 7 breath cycles you’ll soon be feeling more spacious in that part of your body.

Create spaciousness in your hips:

Many of us hold frustration and stress in our hips. Yep, we clench them, and then clench them some more. Locking in all that juicy frustration. Time to let go.

1. Focus on your buttocks.

2. Start breathing into your buttocks

3. Get a sense or feeling of them un-clenching, releasing and letting go with each exhale

4. Inhale into your buttocks and get a sense of creating more spaciousness with each inhale. Inhale spaciousness ……. exhale letting go. Inhale spaciousness …… exhale letting go.

When you bring your awareness and breath to any area of your body, more blood and energy flows there. You create space. Its’ that simple.

Create spaciousness in your tummy:

1. Place your hands on your belly area.

2. Breathe into your belly – feel it rise on the inhale.

3. Inhale spaciousness into your belly – exhale and feel (no matter how small) a releasing and letting go.

4. Inhaling spaciousness …… exhaling releasing and letting go Continue until your belly is soft, relaxed and filling like a balloon on each inhale.

The more breath you invite into your belly the more space you create not only for your stomach but organs as well.

Create spaciousness in your heart:

1. Place your hands on your heart area. Using your hands helps hold your awareness there.

2. Breathe into your heart – notice how your heart feels – no judgement – just notice

3. Inhale spaciousness into your heart – exhale and feel a releasing and letting go. Feel or sense a softening of your heart muscle.

4. Inhaling spaciousness …… exhaling letting go. Continue until your heart feels softer, more open and relaxed.

**If you are struggling today opening your heart you might find laying on a yoga bolster or rolled blanket really, really helpful in creating more space for your heart.

Create space in your neck, shoulders and shoulder blade area.

1. Focus on your shoulders and neck.

2. Start breathing into your shoulder and neck area.

3. Get a sense or feeling of this area un-clenching, releasing and letting go with each exhale

4. Inhale into your this area and get a sense of creating more spaciousness with each inhale. Inhale spaciousness ……. exhale letting go.

Inhale spaciousness …… exhale letting go. Continue until your shoulders feel more open, relaxed and spacious.

Create spaciousness in your hands – it’s a beautiful thing:

I personally love doing this spacious breathing ritual into my hands, fingers and wrists. You might be surprised how much stress and tightness they hold.

1. Focus on your hands

2. Start breathing into your hands – your fingers – palm and back of the hands – wrist

3. Get a sense or feeling of them un-clenching, releasing and letting go with each exhale

4. Inhale into your hands and get a sense of creating more spaciousness with each inhale. Inhale spaciousness ……. exhale letting go.

Inhale spaciousness …… exhale letting go.

Continue until your hands feel lighter, spacious and more relaxed. You’ll also find this has a flow on effect up your arms as well.

With thanks http://thehealthylivinglounge.com/2012/03/27/give-your-body-spaciousness/