Riding the Wave with Breathe, Release, Feel, Witness, Allow

My son, Jeff, surfing the waves in California

"Riding the Wave requires a lot of energy and can make us fill depleted.  Refill your well with Breathe, Release..."

Center by finding a comfortable seat.  Lengthen up through the crown of your head as you root down into the earth with your sits bones.  Check in with yourself by asking, "How can I refill my well today?"  Listen to your inner voice.  Keep your breath steady and smooth as you begin to layer in deep diaphragmatic breathing with the belly area rising and falling with each inhalation and exhalation.  Observe yourself without judging or critiquing; just notice.  See if you can release tension from your forehead, jawline, neck and shoulders just 10% more with each exhale.  Imagine that you are an hour glass and the sand is in the bottom of the shape.  You can use your hands on your chest and abdominal area if that feels comfortable to you.

With the next breath in after the belly rises, feel the ribs expand outward by breathing just a little bit more.  On the out breath, release tension from the top downward.  Inhale belly rises and ribs expand outward, exhale first the chest and then the belly.  

Finally, on your next breath observe to see if you can lift the breath up towards the collar bones.  Belly rises, rib basket expands outwardly, collar bones lift.  Exhale from the top down.  Repeat several times as you say to yourself something soothing, "I am enough." "I am vibrant and resilient."  "I can do this work today."

Now we will add in Alternate Nostril Breath, also known as, Nadi Shodhana.  Using just your index finger and thumb of the right hand, close off your right nostril with the thumb and inhale completely with the left nostril.  Close off the left nostril with the index finger and release the thumb in order to breathe out the right nostril.  Inhale through the right side, closing it off, and exhale through the left.  New breath in with the left nostril, then closing off the left with the finger, exhale through the right.  Continue breathing this way for 1 - 2 minutes.

We sometimes call this second way of breathing, "Pre-test Breath," or "Pre-game or performance Breath."  Both hemispheres of the brain are balanced for concentration, accessing the Prefrontal Cortex for thinking and intuition, creating a feeling of completion.

Breathe.

Release tension.

Feel whatever emotion arises.

Witness with compassion - no judgement.

Allow whatever feelings or tension to let go.

BRFWA (acronym for this technique) and Alternate Nostril Breath create the ability within all of us to refill our well to tackle a new assignment, complete the next task, and stay in a calm demeanor.  When we ride the waves of intensity in our lives, we are better able to overcome the negative and tap into the positive energy.