Abdominal breathing, ready to step in ?!
In Yoga, the importance of thoracic breathing (for energy, tonicity, maintenance) is emphasized as much as abdominal breathing is.
For this type of breathing, the concept is quite simple: you just have let your belly come and go to the rhythm of your breath.
This breathing calms, soothes. It switches the autonomic nervous system into a parasympathetic mode or “rest and digest”. The diaphragm is free to descend. The abdominal organs are “massaged” by the movements of the breath, easing their functions.
Yet, it is culturally not so easy to “let go of the belly”. By our education or because of the society in which we live, we always tend to keep some tone in this area.
So, just for the time of three breaths, try to let go of the belly, without forcing … observe what happens … it is quite possible that emotions present themselves physically, mentally: observe them, feel how they manifest and evolve … .. they are just passing by …
To be repeated whenever you feel the need to calm down a little; or when you wake up, to begin the day in mindfulness; or your bed, at will to fall asleep !
