Tag: breathing exercise to reduce anxiety

Use the Power of Three To Accelerate Your Results

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For most of us, the ideal number of things to focus on seems to be
three.

Not sure why, but when we exceed three areas of focus or attention,
we tend to get overwhelmed.

Three is a “magical” number. From ancient times, it has been imbued
with mystical qualities.

You see it in many facets of life today. For example:

-In Christianity, we have the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.

-Sanchin kata – meaning “three conflicts” – is a fundamental form
in certain traditional martial arts, including Uechi Ryu (a
fighting art I have a black belt in and have studied over the
years) and other Okinawan and Southern Chinese styles. Sanchin
also refers to “mind, body, spirit” and the three basic conflicts
we each face in our lives on a daily basis.

-Here in the U.S., our Republican government is organized into
three branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial.

-The rule of thumb for delivering an effective presentation or
speech is to organize it around three key points.

-The other rule of thumb for delivering an effective presentation
or speech is to convey your three key points at three different
times: tell them what you are going to talk about; talk about
your key points; then summarize what you just presented.

-My lucky number has always been three. My birth date is a
multiple of three (including the month, the date, the year…
AND all three combined). When playing sports, I always wore a
number which was a multiple of three. In high school and college,
this was “21”.

The number 21 was lucky for me EXCEPT FOR junior year softball,
when I dove for a tough hit (I played left field), fell
awkwardly, and broke my left arm. (I caught the ball though!)

Despite this one “exception that proves the rule”, I have
many other examples of how the number three imbues luck,
certainty and advantage into my life. That’s my story and
I’m sticking to it!

Now, how does this apply to you?

Maybe you also believe that three, or some multiple of three,
is your lucky number. Maybe you too have seen this pattern
play out in weird, wacky, sometimes wonderful ways.

Whether you have or not, you can put the power of three to work
for you at anytime, to help you achieve better results in any
area of your life.

As an example, I organize my life around three major areas:

-Family and community (I further subdivide this into my
immediate family, extended family, and community involvement);

-Business, career and finances;

-Personal development and improvement (which includes health
and fitness, self improvement and learning, AND spiritual
development)

Although I have many interests, I find it easier and more
effective to use these three areas as the focal points for
my life. Something has to fit in these areas to get attention.
Often one or more areas overlaps.

Similarly, I organize my programs and the way I teach with
three primary areas in mind: body, mind and spirit.

Each of these is critical to a happy and successful and
meaningful life. Each intersects and interacts with the other,
to the point of being dependent on each other. I mean, you
can’t have triangle without all three sides.

Likewise, any health and fitness program should address all
three of these areas, so you’re doing more than just moving
around and sweating. You’re improving from the inside out,
as well as the outside in.

(Plus it’s more fun when you’re fully engaged in what you are
doing.)

Now, let’s talk more specifically about your health and
fitness program. A powerful way to organize your efforts is
around these three areas:

-Aerobic and anaerobic capacity (heart and lungs)
-Strength and power
-Flexibility and resilience

This construct provides a very effective way to organize
your program. If you touch these three areas in each workout,
or cycle through each area a couple times each week, you
have yourself a well-rounded and highly effective program.

I’ve found that the power of three works in another way –
in the dimension of time (the “fourth” dimension).

When you embark on a program of improvement – be it physical,
educational, work-related – you’ll typically experience a
delay in results.

It’s been my experience that it generally takes about three
weeks – 21 days – to begin to see and feel significant
improvements.

I’ve experienced this in my own training and also seen it
with those I’ve trained or worked with.

With a well constructed program, you may begin to FEEL
better early on. But you may not see results right away,
in terms of pounds lost, reduction in waist size, increase
in strength, and so forth.

This is one of the main reasons people get discouraged and
don’t stick to their fitness or health programs.

Don’t let this derail you! Give it time – give it at least
three weeks.

I promise, if you stick it out and work your program, within
three weeks (21 days) you will begin to see – and FEEL –
significant improvements in your health, energy levels and
physique.

This also pertains to work and educational settings. For
example – and this is going back years now, but….

When I first started out in the financial services industry,
I worked for Citibank as an account executive. Our job
was to win new customers, as well as keep existent
customers happy. We were paid a small base salary, so most
of our compensation (which could be quite good) was
commission.

This basically meant that, if I wanted to make good money,
I had to get off my duff and do a better job prospecting for
qualified leads, talk to more people, get better at sales,
provide excellent service so my customers loved me (and
recommended me to others), and so forth.

Whenever I got serious about this, I focused on an area to
improve, buckled down an dgot to work…it took about three
weeks – 21 days – to begin seeing the results of my renewed
effort, or of the new strategy or technique I was testing or
implementing.

I knew if I just stuck with it through those first few
weeks, I would get results. Results in terms of new deals in,
happier customers, more closed deals, higher commission checks.

It never failed. It always happened.

This was a critical experience for a young lady just starting
out in the work world. It held the seeds of a very important
lesson:

The virtues and rewards of working hard, being willing to
take a risk or two, and being willing to push yourself
to get better and better.

Put the “Power of Three” to work for you, starting today.

You Can Do It!
Karen_signature



“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Whether you want to lose weight and look and feel
better…or improve your breathing and stamina so you have
more energy…or take control and transform the stress
in your life….I’ve got the programs that can help you.

For more information on specific programs available at
the Best Breathing Exercises site, visit
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com – and get started
today!

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2013

Kick Back and Refocus

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We recently returned from our annual beach vacation in beautiful
Seagrove Beach, Florida.

This time, in addition to our immediate family, including my mom
and dad, we also invited 4 nieces and one nephew. So we were
responsible for 6 kids.

Not exactly the relaxing getaway I had in mind.

On the other hand, it was nice to have some fun in the sun with
all the kids. And we did the usual activities, including body
surfing, burying a few of the kids in the sand….watching the
outdoor theatre over in Seaside Beach, eating lots of fresh
seafood, drinking a few cold ones (us that is, not the kids!)

Following my usual tradition, I took a complete break from my
usual breathing, energy and fitness program. No sessions at all.
My only exercise was our daily walks and lots of swimming and
body surfing in the gulf.

When I got back from vacation and back into routine, I found
myself looking forward to it and relishing it. I actually
missed it. It’s truly part of the fiber of my daily life.

Our vacation reminded me of how important it is to unplug once
in awhile and just get away from it all.

Of course, we each know the importance of having some down time
and of giving ourselves the time and space to simply be, have
some fun, and do some of the things we may not usually have time
for.

It’s so important to reconnect with your family too – the people
who mean the most to you. It’s very easy to get caught up in
the day-to-day and begin to lose touch with what’s important.

The raw material of personal performance and productivity is
generated by your physical, mental and emotional energies.

You need to regenerate these important sources of personal
power once in awhile in order to replenish yourself.

I’ve found this out from experience: when I am well rested,
either from several nights in a row of good sleep…or from
taking a few days off from work and simply having some fun…I
can get two, three, even five times more done when I get back
to work.

On the other hand, when I cycle through phases where I am
working (seemingly) most of the time, without much of a
break…well, I stall out.

As the saying goes, “It takes me takes me twice as long to get
half as much done”.

Worse yet, I begin to focus more on problems and obstacles. I’m
so far down in the weeds, I have lost the vision of the bigger
things in my life and my businesses I am trying to accomplish.

I’m sure you can relate.

So, I highly recommend taking a break once in awhile, even if
it’s just for a long weekend.

Get back in touch with what’s important in your life. Have some
fun. Take the time to think, imagine, even dream, about the
people and things you want to manifest in your life.

And above all…take a few minutes here and there to relax and
simply breathe.

In your next tip, I’ll share with you some more ways you can
rejuvenate and refresh yourself on a regular basis to maximize
your personal power.

You Can Do It!
Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2013

An Accidental Discovery That Made All the Difference

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When you make your deep breathing and dynamic energy exercises a
regular habit, you’ll begin to experience the power of intention.

Intention is a way of focusing your thoughts and attention on a
specific point or goal. It’s a powerful way to enhance the effects
of the breathing exercises you do.

You can literally focus your mind on an area of your body that is
in pain, or tight, or not functioning properly. To do this, you
first visualize the energy in your body flowing freely, gaining
in intensity.

Once you begin to feel this energy, which usually takes only a
few minutes, you can then focus it on the area of your body that
needs healing or support.

For example, in the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise
Course, Volume I: Invigorate and Rejuvenate, I
guide you through exercises that combine breathing with movement
and help loosen up and relax your entire body.

I also tell you how to breath and focus to, for example, release
tightness and pain in your back. You can literally hold a position
and “breathe into” the tight spots.

Within a few cycles of breathing, you can literally feel the tight
or painful spots release.

Some people like to add a lot of hocus-pocus and mystery around
these types of exercises. They make it seem so esoteric. I think
they turn a lot of people off, who would otherwise be interested
in – and benefit from – this type of exercise.

Truth is, there are a lot of practical, health-transforming
benefits from these exercises.

One of my goals with my programs, through this website, and with
the clients I train is to share with people the power of this
approach to exercising…so more people can reap the benefits.

I first became aware of the power of breathing through martial
arts.

I had a lot of exposure to breathing methods. But I viewed them
primarily as a means to help me become a better fighter.

I was fortunate to have two instructors who were extremely
advanced and knowledgeable about their respective arts. They
were excellent teachers. And they expected a lot out of their
students, black belts and assistant instructors.

I sweated, heaved and sukked air through more classes and
trainings than I ever care to remember.

After one particularly difficult session, which was for advanced
black belts only, my butt was really whipped. Unbeknownst to
me, I had asthma (which hadn’t been diagnosed yet) and was
probably having an attack.

I decided to do some of the breathing we practiced as part of
our forms. I only spent about five minutes or so.

But I noticed afterwards that I recovered much more quickly
from the difficult workout than I had in the past. I went from
feeling like I was about to faint, to being calm and energized.

I had discovered – by accident – how powerful proper breathing
can be. And what an excellent complement it is to more intense
forms of exercise.

This discovery lead me to seek out even more information and
training.

The knowledge I gained helped my improve my fitness and health.
It helped me overcome a severe case of asthma. So I feel
compelled to share it with as many people as I can today.

Without all the esoteric BS.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2013

Self Scripting to Beat the Clock

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Well, the house has been empty and I’ve been knocking around here
by myself for the past week.

Our son is with my parents for a few weeks during summer vacation.
My better half had to leave suddenly to help out a family member.

Which leaves me and the pets – our two dogs and two cats.

They’ve been congregating near me, following me around so
closely, that I’ve tripped over them a few times – even the cats.
It’s almost like they are thinking, “Hey, did Karen knock off
everyone else? She’s the only one left who can feed us. We better
stay close!”

At first, the thought of some alone time was appealing. I could
spend more time on writing and on my businesses, and not have to
knock off work for family time in the evening. And it has been
great. I’ve been able to get to a few things that I just hadn’t
been able to get to before.

But I’ve also felt lonely. I miss my peeps.

My idyll will dissipate in a few days when the family members
begin to return. In fact, within a few days we’ll have a houseful
of kids. (But that’s another story…)

When I’m working, I tend to write out a to-do list for my day.
I’ve also started to “script” my day. This is a time
management practice advocated by Dan Kennedy, the well-known
small business and marketing guru.

I first heard this idea of scripting your day from Dan a few
years back. I don’t think I’ve heard much about it from anyone
else. Dan says that the to-do list is good, but it’s not
enough. It’s too easy to get distracted and have something –
or things – come up and throw you off course.

A key point of scripting is the fact that people rarely
set an end point for a task.

For example, if you’re going to write an article, or finish
reading a report, you probably have it on your to-do list,
and may even have an idea as to when you are going to start.
But many if not most people do not establish an end point,
by which they must finish the task.

And this can lead to the task’s taking longer to complete
than it should.

What’s that old saying? “Work expands to take up the time
you’re at work.”

Well, getting back to my experience this week:

At the beginning of the week, I didn’t script myself. I
figured I could work as long as I needed to, because I
wouldn’t have to break off when the family got home, to
hang out or help make dinner.

The day was like a wide expanse laid before me, with
no strict cut off time. Nice!

However, within a day or so, I found out that – goldarnit –
that old saying is correct!

Work DID expand to take up more time than it should have.

So….the last few days, I have been back to scripting my
day. While it feels more confining, less fun, and less
“spontaneous”… it also works better. It keeps me focused,
in gear, and I feel better because I get more done.

As an unreformed procrastinator, I’ve found it indispensable
to breaking through my tendencies to delay, or pick up
something else (usually easier) to work on.

I highly recommend scripting and scheduling yourself. Just
as you place an appointment into your calendar, try
adding specific tasks, or portions of tasks, into your
calendar for the day.

Be sure to give yourself some down time here and there,
to take a break, get some food, and renew yourself.

Then crack the whip and get back to work. Focus and
get it done in the time you have allotted.

Word of warning: we often underestimate how long it will
take us to complete a task or job, at least at first.
So give yourself a little slack. You’ll get better at it.

On the other hand, hold yourself accountable. If you’ve
scheduled this hour to work on something…work on it!
And nothing else.

If you’re busy and time starved – which most of us are
these days – you’ll appreciate the difference this can
make in your perception of time.

You’ll feel more in control. You’ll be getting things –
important things – done.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. By the way, I recently realized I’ve been using this
principal of scripting my time for years, in a specific
area of my life: working out. I’ve always tended to
schedule a specific amount of time to complete my
work out, and I’ve always planned what I’m going to do
in advance. So, here’s another application of this
principal that I highly recommend!

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2013

A Quick, Easy Exercise to Help You Get “Unstuck”

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Here’s a quote from a renowned Japanese expert on Ki, or internal energy:

“If I had to offer advice, in one short statement, about what constitutes a correct self-image, distilled from the experiences of numerous business tycoons and other successful people as well as from my own historical research, then it would be this: Never think pessimistically about anything; always try to think positively.” – Kouzo Kaku

Kaku-san goes on to describe what he means by “think positively”:

1) Never complain or think or speak badly of another;

2) Cultivate a feeling of thankfulness and gratitude towards all things;

3) Once you have decided to do something, never think in terms of “I cannot do it” or “It is impossible”;

4) Do not refute another’s opinion, but be willing to listen to it;

5) Do not become angry when things do not go as planned and never hold a grduge against those around you.

(From Kouzo Kaku, “The Mysterious Power of Ki”)

Wow! Lots to think about there.

I just discussed point number #5 with my brother Jeff, who called me from Washington-Reagan National Airport this morning. Seems his flight has been delayed, then delayed again, and again, and yet again.

Not a pleasant situation. However, given the weather we’ve seen in the Midwest and Northeast this past week, it probably shouldn’t be too surprising that there are delays today.

And he knows it. He called because he was bored – but also to vent about the delays, the inconvenience, the fact his first email warning about the delays arrived on his Crackberry the very minute he stepped into the airport, and on and on.

I commiserated with him, because I have been in that same situation more times than I care to remember.

But I also reminded him about point #5 above: “Do not become angry when things do not go as planned…”

If you don’t attend to how your mind is working, you can become easily irritated — about the weather, about the driving skills of the person in the car ahead of you, about someone you listen to on the radio whom you just hate, about your jerky boss, etc. etc etc.

But why allow yourself to be deterred from the bigger picture of your life by these types of distractions? Why waste the psychic energy on them?

I shared with my brother a simple, easy exercise that can help you to quickly relax and let go of negative emotions and thoughts. Would you like to try this one for yourself?

Good! Here goes:

1) Breathe deeply several times from your abdomen. When you notice that your worries have dissipated somewhat, relax all over as much as you can;

2) Exhale fully until your lungs are empty. Lean forward as you exhale. For extra assistance, place both hands on your abdomen, just below your bottom ribs, and push in gently but firmly into the center of the area below your ribs;

3) At the same time, imagine you are expelling all of your negative thoughts and emotions as you breathe out;

4) When you have completed your exhale, sit up slowly and naturally into an upright position and breathe in;

5) As you breathe in, imagine very sharp, crisp, positive energy is entering your body.

In energy disciplines and traditions, it is said that the solar plexus is the primary place in the body where bad energy, or ki (chi), can get stuck. You may notice that, when you are angry or frustrated — or simply feeling stuck in an important area of you life (or in an airport) — you feel hardness in your solar plexus area. This is because “bad” ki or energy has stagnated there.

You only have to do this exercise three or four times to feel the tremendous difference in energy. Remember: the visualization, or using your imagination, is just as important as the physical movements.

Try it and let me know what you think.

In the meantime, my bro just texted me that he was able to get on another flight and is on his way to his destination.

He also thanked me for the advice. So I guess that means he actually did this exercise in the middle of the airport.

If he can do it, you can do it too!

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. You can control your mental and emotional state, no matter how irritating your external world gets. One of the best ways to enjoy a  relaxed yet energized state, coupled with calm and relaxed mental alertness, is to follow the exercises in the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate. Visit the Best Breathing Exercises website to get your copy today, and discover how easy it is to relax your way through all the holiday and end-of-year rush.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

Anchor Yourself with Attitude Breathing

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It’s amazing to me the amount of research that is now being done on the connection between body, mind and emotions.

The connection is indisputable. Many medical doctors and scientists have embraced it and try to leverage it in their treatment of patients.

Tuning in to this connection can help you enhance your health, overcome specific illness — and help you improve the way you go through life.

In particular, a lot of research has been done in the area of managing stress. Herbert Benson, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, popularized this area with his book, “The Relaxation Response”. He and his team proved the effects that relaxation techniques, including deep breathing, meditation and a positive outlook, can have on patient outcomes and health.

Subsequently, Dr. Benson performed follow-up research that lead to his book, “The Breakout Principle”. Here, he demonstrated how the same principles and techniques can help each of us relax and think more clearly as we handle the stresses and challenges of each day. This, in turn, can help us perform at a higher level and get into the “flow” of whatever activity we are doing.

You recognize the flow when it happens — although you are not aware you are in it until afterwards.

Have you ever spent hours immersed in some activity, only to look up at the clock and be surprised at how much time has passed? You were experiencing the flow.

Sometimes it’s difficult to get into the flow. If you have a gazillion things going on, or are pressed for time, you may feel blocked. You may be unable to relax sufficiently. Or you may be draining your own energy by allowing negative thoughts or emotions to take roost in your brain.

These feelings can be especially cumbersome when you are at work, perhaps facing a stressful meeting, discussion or situation. Or, maybe you are having trouble getting your kids to comply with a request.

No matter what the situation, to “unblock” yourself and handle the stress of the moment, I recommend you try a technique called “Attitude Breathing”.

This specific technique was developed by the Institute of Heart Math, which studies body-mind-emotional connections.

It’s easy to do.

(1) Focus on a person or situation for which you are really grateful. Cultivate a feeling of gratitude as you slowly relax and soften your breathing.

(2) Next, shift your attention to your heart and solar plexus area. Acknowledge what you are feeling. Ask yourself which feeling or attitude you could substitute that would be more constructive in the current situation.

For example, you might tell yourself to “stay calm”, “stay neutral”, “get all the facts before I go off”, etc.

(3) Pretend to feel and breathe this new, more constructive attitude in through your heart. Breathe it out through your solar plexus and stomach to “anchor” it. Continue to breathe in this way until you feel like the new attitude has settled in to your solar plexus and heart.

This simple but powerful technique helps you anchor your inner power and calm, and bring your thoughts and emotions back into balance.

It’s great to do first thing in the morning, or any time you are feeling stressed, anxious, or overly emotional.

Lately, I’ve had to do quite a bit of traveling. Ah yes, the joys of airline travel, missed connections, late night arrivals when you have to be in important meetings the next day, adjusting to different time zones, etc., etc.

Don’t get me wrong – I love to travel. It’s just when the trips come one after the other, it can be a bit much. And, even though I sometimes bring my family with me, I can’t do this every time and I do miss them when I am away.

All this can add to stress levels. So I make sure that I devote at least a few minutes every morning when I first wake up, and a few minutes in the evening, to do this exact exercise. I focus on what I am grateful for – usually my family, my health, all the opportunities in my life. I breathe in the feelings of joy, gratitude and peace I get when I think about these things, and “anchor” them in my heart.

I find this simple exercise really helps ground me and remind me of what is important in my life, and the ultimate reasons why I am working and traveling.

This is why I wanted to share this wonderful little practice with you.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you have an interest in discovering even more highly effective breathing and visualization techniques, consider the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate & Rejuvenate. In the course, I guide you through breathing exercises which help you instantly relax and tranform stress…and have you feeling in control within minutes. Claim your program CDs today at the Best Breathing Exercises website.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

Relaxation and Power: Make It Work For You

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In any athletic endeavour, you must first learn how to relax before you can develop optimal power.

When you try to move faster, or hit harder, by excessive effort, you actually sabotage your efforts and move more slowly. You also move less efficiently, so you tire more quickly.

The same holds for academic or work-related activities.

When you try too hard to concentrate or focus, you may find your mind actually wanders more than usual. And you find the task at hand more difficult to do, meaning you tire of it more quickly.

On the other hand, when you first relax, and tell yourself that your project or task will be fun – or that at least it will be satisfying to complete and get over with – you find yourself becoming immersed in the project. You effortlessly concentrate. You lose track of time. And, before you know it, you have finished it.

Time to kick back and have a cold one!

Well, guess what. This natural paradigm of effective performance applies to the most elemental activity you perform every second of every day: your breathing.

And putting this principle to work, along with some focused attention on your breathing, can help you harness the most fundamental source of power in your body.

When you first begin to work on your breathing, you should focus on learning how to breathe more completely. Ironically, you don’t breathe more fully and completely by trying harder. You actually breathe better when you are relaxed.

You open up your breathing by loosening the structures that support healthy breathing, and learning how to relax through deep breathing. This is the heart of the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume I: Invigorate and Rejuvenate.

Just a few minutes of these types of exercises will have you relaxed yet focused, calm yet full of quiet energy. They’re great to do at the end of the day, or any time you need a little de-stressing or a pick-me-up.

Once you have learned the elements of complete breathing, and how to breathe in a relaxed manner, your next step is to increase your lung capacity and power, as well as strengthen your torso area – the area of the body that supports breathing, posture and a healthy spine.

By combining breathing techniques with certain types of movement, you are able to enhance internal energy and lung power, while at the same time strengthening your core muscles.

You also have to focus while doing these types of exercises. So they are wonderful at helping improve your concentration and ability to focus and get things done throughout the day.

These are the exercises that make up the Dynamic Energy Routine, which is in the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 2.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check these programs out. I’m positive you can benefit from these wonderful exercises.

You Can Do It!

 

 

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”

http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

The Power of Being In the Moment

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There is a concept in traditional martial arts called “beginner’s mind”. The Japanese word for this is “soshin”.

As a beginner, the first time you do something you really have to concentrate and focus in order to do it correctly.

The idea of soshin is to continue to be like a beginner when p erforming various tasks. No matter how trivial a task is, retain the mindfulness of a beginner when performing it.

Have you ever engaged in some kind of creative work, or have you ever become so engrossed in doing something, like playing and laughing with your kids, that you lost all track of time?

This happened because you were living in the moment. You truly felt more alive and energized by doing it.

It’s an incredible feeling, almost a state of flow.

This is one of the things I love about the martial arts…and one of the reasons I highly recommend it for kids and adults.

During hard training, you have to concentrate 100% on the instructor’s commands and on your movements. When sparring or fighting, you have to be totally focused on your opponent and your own strategy and tactics.

During these times, I lose all sense of obligations and responsibilites outside of the training hall.

I stop worrying about what needs to get done, or the latest problem or issue. Although these things await me, for the moment I can just …. be. And enjoy!

Performing conscious breathing, or other types of breathing exercises, can help you create these moments of presence.

When you focus on your breathing and on how your body feels in response to the breathing, you are in the moment.

And at least for this moment, you forget about responsibilities, issues, and demands.

You stop dwelling on health problems or aches and pains. And you help yourself to relax and feel calmer, more centered, and more in control…regardless of what is going on around you.

Breathing exercises and being in the moment are not instant cures for all that ails you. But awareness of your breathing and of the present moment can help you lead a calmer, more relaxed and healthier life. It can imbue everything you do with more power.

I encourage you to put these concepts to work by making them a regular part of your life.

You Can Do It!

 

 

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”

http://www.BestBreathingExercises.comcom

P.S. Discover how you can use your breathing to enter a state of effortless flow and power with the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate. The movements coupled with complete breathing will invigorate, rejuvenate and relax your body, mind and spirit. Pick up your own program CD’s at the Best Breathing Exercises website.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

How To Be In Control, Naturally

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A few days ago, I discussed the prevalence of stress in our lives. It’s become so chronic that we get used to it as a sort of baseline.

We can even become addicted to stress as a way of being.

Once you become aware of how you act in your world, and react to the stress that is a natural part of it….you can then do something about it.

Probably the simplest (and often overlooked) way to put the kibosh on stress-oriented behavior is to focus on your breathing.

A great way to learn how to breathe naturally and completely is through the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume I: Invigorate & Rejuvenate.

In the course, I teach you the Complete Breath. And I also teach you seven exercises, combining breathing with specific movements, that open, free and relax you.

The most important thing is to simply become conscious of your breathing.

Here’s a great example from my own life that you may share.

Our son, Miguel, who is 7, is a great kid and a good student. But, like many kids, he is sometimes anxious about school and therefore resists getting ready. He’ll use all the stalling tactics, like not getting dressed, refusing to eat breakfast, etc., etc.

When I’m in reactive mode, rather than thinking mode, I respond to his escalations in resistance with escalations of my own. This typically results in yelling and screaming and tears. We make it to school on time, but it’s not a very pleasant way for us to start the morning.

On the other hand, when I catch myself, I resist being reactive to Miguel’s tactics. Instead of rushing about and worrying whether we will be ready or not when it’s time to leave, I take a moment to observe my breathing. Invariably, when I’ve been in reactive mode, my breathing is tight and I feel tense.

Chances are, you’ve experienced a similar reaction when in a situation of stress, like trying to get the kids ready and off to school. Your breathing is “tight” and very shallow. You probably have tension in your jaw and forehead areas, as well as in your shoulders and back.

This is a typical physical response to stressful conditions. I’m not sure why it developed in us this way, because it certainly doesn’t seem to help us cope better with the situation.

At any rate, by the simple act of observing your breathing, you will automatically and naturally release some of that tightness. Take advantage of this. Take in 4 to 5 deep breaths.

Don’t force it. Just allow yourself to slowly and smoothly inhale.

If you find you are forcing the inhale, switch your focus to the exhale.

Blow out all the air – without straining – then relax and see how fully you inhale. “The exhale takes care of the inhale”, if you do it properly.

So, next time you are stressed out, or about to enter into a demanding or stressful situation… take a moment or two to become conscious of your breathing.

Give yourself the gift of a minute or two to just sit (or stand) and breathe smoothly, calmly and deeply.

You’ll find yourself naturally relaxing, yet feeling energized at the same time. The perfect state for performing well and dealing with the challenges life throws at us.

You Can Do It!

 

 

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”

www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

Be Sure To Protect This Focal Source of Energy

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Stress is stealing away your life, even if you don’t realize it.

Stress, fatigue and chronic pain manifest physically as increased tension and tightness in the body, particularly in the large muscles of the torso, such as the chest, shoulders and back.

This is why neck and back pain and headaches are so prevalent today.

Stress can also cause your breathing to weaken and become more shallow. When you take in less oxygen, your system doesn’t work to capacity. You feel physically fatigued and mentally foggy and fuzzy.

These reactions to stress put into motion a cascade of hormonal and neuromuscular changes that can have dire consequences for even the hardiest of us.

Your posture also changes when you’re under stress. You turn in your shoulders and hunch forward. You may notice that you cross your arms more frequently.

These are all signs of the protective impulse…. of your body collapsing in on itself in an effort to protect you physically from more abuse. Problem is, the tightness and tension in your muscles, along with the stressed, hunched posture, create huge imbalances and overloads on your spine.

The spine is the foundation of your body and one of its critical centers of energy.

Sitting, standing and walking compress the spine to varying degrees. The high proportion of time many of us spend sitting is particularly tough on our backs. After years of sitting at desks, in meetings, on the couch, or on airplanes, the spine loses its resiliency.

This in turn affects the entire nervous system, causing decreased energy, backaches, headaches, neck and shoulder tightness….even moodiness, irritability, and the inability to concentrate or focus.

So..how do you counter this postural reaction that places so much additional strain on your lower back?

The secret is to free the tension and tightness from your entire torso area, so that the breathing spaces are wide open and free and the spine is extended and lengthened.

Open breathing spaces mean full, complete breathing. In turn, this enhances your lungs’ capacity to infuse larger amounts of oxygen into your body, and more effectively remove wastes and toxins from your system. Elongating and loosening the spine helps free up vital nerve force and energy and also releases tension.

The combination of the two is a powerhouse!

It leaves you with a loose, relaxed, energized feeling. It not only invigorates you  – it’s a major pathway to physical health and wellbeing.

You may think it difficult to achieve this combination of opening, freeing, and releasing.

You may think you have to pay big bucks to visit a chiropractor or massage therapist every week.

Well, it’s not difficult at all. Nor is it expensive. With just a few minutes of listening, you can learn how with the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate.

The course consists of two series of 7 exercises. The first series focuses on dynamic breathing coordinated with easy, flowing movements. The second series helps stretch, relax and rejuvenate your entire torso area, with special emphasis on the spine and back.

These amazing exercises stimulate, strengthen, and rejuvenate you.

They help you instantaneously relax AND improve your energy levels. You’ll feel more in control, rather than at the whim of the latest crisis. After doing the exercises for just a few days, any back or neck pain you have been experiencing will be history.

The Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate provides you with a quick, easy, enjoyable way to rejuvenate and protect your foundation.

To learn more about this incredible course, head on over to the Best Breathing Exercises website.

You Can Do It!

 

 

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”

www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012