Quick pick-me-up pranayama practice
Several months ago I got in a habit of going for a short walk in the morning to clear my mind and get myself ready for the day. Those 15 minutes turned out to be crucial in getting my day off to a good start, but something was still missing. Since I do not have time for a full yoga practice in the morning, one day I decided to just sit and breathe for 10 minutes. I did few basic stretches, a simple pranayama for 12 deep breaths, and went on with my day. The benefits of that short little practice were undeniable. I was able to focus more deeply on my tasks, was less distracted, didn’t get flustered with the amount of work I needed to do, and my spirits stayed elevated throughout the day. My energy wasn’t particularly high, but I felt more spacious, less bothered. I liked that feeling. Since then, this little routine has become my morning ritual. If I skip it for whatever reason, I feel the effects on my energy, my mood, and my ability to handle distractions.
By definition, pranayama means “life force expansion”, and this is what it is meant to do – to expand your life force, increase your vitality and clear your mind. Today I will share one of my short pranayama practices that I call Quick pick-me-up. This is a very simple practice that you can do in any comfortable seated position, and it takes about 10 minutes. It includes some simple stretches to prepare your body and breath for pranayama, and features chest breathing to facilitate an energizing and uplifting effect on your entire system. Give it a try and see how it feels!
When something unexpected or challenging happens in your life, you might feel as if you have lost control over what’s going on. What can reliably help is connecting to your breath.
