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Your garden of tranquillity
As the season for garden parties continues (weather permitting!), here are some ways to find tranquillity, whether you’re at work, in the car, or lucky enough to actually be in the garden!
At your desk
When we’re anxious, our breathing is shallower. If we’re also hunching over our desks, the chest and ribs become compressed, limiting the space we have for our lungs to expand. Result? We don’t breathe fully or deeply enough. Good breathing feeds our cells with oxygenated blood, expelling the stale carbon dioxide that lingers at the base of our lungs. It also keeps the body more alkaline, as our bodies produce more acid when under pressure, weakening our immune systems, so making us more prone to illness.
To open up the muscles in your chest to give your lungs space to breathe, roll up a blanket or towel and lie on your back with the roll just above bra-strap level (fellas, you too can do this, just use your imagination!). Spend a few minutes like this, getting to know your breath by simply noticing it. This is the start of learning to deepen it. Watching the breath also directs the mind to one point, taking your focus off any random thoughts. This improves concentration and is the first step towards meditation.
Stuck in traffic
If you find yourself clenching your jaw as yet another car cuts you up, you always have a choice – to lose your rag, yet again, or do some lion’s breath-type breathing to turn a negative experience into a positive one!
Breathe in deeply through your nose and exhale strongly, with your mouth and eyes wide open, tongue stretched out fully as let out a roar. Great for clearing the throat chakra and making your diction much clearer!
When something is on your mind
Placing your head below your heart level makes you feel lighter. Not only does it release the weight of your head by letting yourself go limp, it also, both symbolically and literally, lets you go of everything that is weighing heavily on your mind. The stimulation of blood going to your head can also help make you feel more clear-headed and alert.
With your feet apart, knees slightly bent, fold forward at the hips (not the waist), hold opposite elbows with the hands and hang loosely, breathing deeply with your head heavy and neck relaxed. Blubber-mouth your lips like a horse to relax the face and, if your hamstrings are tight, rest your forehead on a chair – a great way to get rid of headaches!