It’s that time of the year, its winter, perhaps exam time for you and, all around us we are in holiday season mode. The holiday season is beautiful although this time can also bring - high stress, anxiety, depression, busy times and especially these days.

A very helpful tool to assist us in moving through these emotions and feelings is our ability to connect to our breath. Directly affecting our nervous system.

Most of us are not breathing in ways that assist our system. We are poorly connected to our breath and bodies and this leaves us with stuck feelings and emotions as well as feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

When we begin to tap into our breath and work with breathing techniques combined with movement as-well following the ancient teachings of Yoga we can truly help ourselves from overwhelming feelings and move into calmer states of being.

What is the best breathing practice during stressful times?

First off. Just breathe.

Sitting down grounding into your body. Feel the base of your feet connected to the floor or your bottom on the floor if you are in cross legged position.

Practice noticing your breath, take a moment to breathe in and out through the nose, remembering to exhale completely and fully. Start a few times and build from there. Slowing down the rhythm of your breath.

The more often you remember your breath, the more you become conscious of how you are breathing, the easier it becomes to move yourself through certain moments or sensations.

Your breath is your tool!

Bringing your focus and your energy out of your mind and into your physical body by using your breath.

Every exhale feel yourself landing deeper into your physical body, moving away from the mind.

In Sanskrit we can look at certain Pranayamic breathing techniques to help calm the nervous system.

Pranayama is a Sanskrit word

Prana = energy + yama = control.

Try Bhramari Pranayama bringing harmony to the mind, helps with anxiety and stress, relieves frustration.

-using your breath in making a sound like bumble bee. Making an Mmmmm sound.

-there is a vibration created from this.

-Get comfortable, spine straight as best you can (imagine a string that holds you up from the crown of your head and a string the pulls you down to the earth …holding you)

-Close your eyes, bring your gaze to the middle of your eyebrows to relax the eyes and enjoy this practice.

Try practicing slow long exhales.

-feel the exhale melting throughout all of your body until your base/floor.

-exhale fully and completely and notice the small natural inhale that begins and slowly build on top of that inhale.

Try this for a few minutes.

How can I deal with stress through movement in yoga?

Asana in Sanskrit means position.

Moving with our breath relieves frustration, helps calm the mind and overall makes us feel more alive.

We hold so much in.

We hold in so many thoughts, so many emotions and this all sits in the body unless we have practices to release this and allow our energy to flow.

Having a yoga practice allows us to connect to our bodies and calm the system down, release, and let go.

Try out any of these poses while focusing on your breathe.

Yoga helps to deal with stress, here are a few poses you can try to help calm your system down. If you have some extra time set up a vibe, lay out your mat, light a candle, maybe some incense and put on some chill, calming soothing music.

Having a daily yoga practice can assist you with teaching yourself how to move through/deal with stress and feelings of overwhelm and anxiety.

Is there a specific tip/tool that you would recommend that is discreet to calm your nerves? 

Sometimes we are in a situation and we are feeling ‘nervous’ (fill with the word that describes the feeling for you).

There are lots of people and sometimes just closing your eyes and grounding into the body isn’t the easiest thing to do.

If you can sit take a seat or root your feet into the floor. Take a moment to tune into your body. You don’t need to close your eyes. Just soften your gaze. Keep that soft gaze on something (Drishdi) and find your breath.

Breathe in and Breathe out.

Exhale fully and completely.

Give yourself this focus for at least 3 breathes.

Every time build adding more and more breathes.

If you are newly adding this even 3 focused breaths can assist in changing your state of being and calming down.

If the first time it doesn’t shift anything don’t give up at first the shifts may be subtle but things are happening. The more you practice the deeper this becomes and you will be able to shift your state of being through connecting to your breath and body.

Through a consistent practice of pranayama (breath-work) and movement guided by our breath we can find great results in learning how to deal with our stress levels. We begin to bring the system into a calm state of being, out of fight/flight mode and bringing the nervous system into rest and digest, this is where the body is able to heal.<3

We easily and often spend time in our minds, thinking about the past or worrying about the future. When we tune in and connect to our breaths we are graced with being in the present moment. Practicing staying connected to our breath allows us to live presently in the moment which in turn creates much more of a harmonious state of being.

Give it a try start to notice how your breath is when you are feeling stressed out. Try any of these suggestions and keep adding them into your daily routine!

If you would like to know more or practice with me or have any questions please feel free to connect with me.

Happy holidays and with breath, enjoy this beautiful time of the year.

P.S. Follow this link for a short guided meditation for you!

Francesca Diano 

Instagram - la.casa.rosa_francescadiano 

E-mail - staterawithfrancescadiano@gmail.com