Finding a Moment of Stillness

In today’s fast-paced world, the demands of work, family, and everyday life can overwhelm us at times. These busy lifestyles can lead to elevated stress levels and can negatively impact our overall well-being. Finding moments of stillness has become essential for resetting our nervous systems and maintaining balance in our lives.

The need for stillness arises from the way our bodies respond to stress. When we are constantly on the go, our sympathetic nervous system, which controls our fight-or-flight response, becomes overactive. this can lead to anxiety, fatigue, and even health issues. The parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us relax and recover, needs moments of calm to function effectively. By incorporating stillness into our busy lives, we allow our bodies to shift from a state of stress to one of relaxation.

One effective way to find moments of pause is through mindfulness practices such as meditation or deep breathing exercises. These techniques encourage us to to focus on the present moment, allowing our minds to settle.

Here is an exercise below to help you find a moment of stillness. 1)

1)Find a comfortable seat and take a few minutes to focus on your breath. Notice the rise and fall of the chest.

2)Feel the support of the ground beneath you, the ground supporting you.

3)Focus on the in-breath through the nose and the exhale release with the entire body- settling into the body.

4)Breathe in for a count of 1-4

Pause for 1-2

Exhale 1-4

Pause at bottom 1-2

Repeat 4X

5)As you repeat, follow the breath up the body to the crown of the head and on exhale follow it back down into the sits bones and into the ground.

Repeat 4X

6)Notice how you feel from when you began. Let the breath come back to its natural state.

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