Elina’s success techniques: Healthy sitting and breathing

I often have exciting ideas that I would love to implement, but strangely enough there is something in my head that suppresses my enthusiasm. Often I don’t have the energy to do what I want to do, or I can’t concentrate, and it gets me down. The setbacks are somehow particularly devastating because they confirm my initial fear – I can’t cope.

Most of our problems have to do with limited self-esteem. It is hidden deep in our subconscious and guides our thoughts and actions. These negative and self-critical beliefs are the reason why our lives are not going as well as we would like. These are the blocks and barriers that prevent us from reaching our full potential. Negative thoughts are a highly effective way to get yourself stuck.

With daily meditation and conscious breathing, it is possible to change this pattern. A short 10-30 minute practice boosts self-confidence, self-esteem, positivity, overall energy levels and improves health. Let’s take a look at a few possible ways to improve your quality of life.

PRANAYAMA – BREATHING FOR HEALTH

Pranayama is a yogic discipline that originated in ancient India. The word pranayama is Sanskrit and can be translated as “prana extension” or “breath control”. Prana means energy and ayama means lengthening, expansion, control and holding. Thus pranayama is the control of the breath to increase vital energy and its flow.

Regular practice of pranayama improves the overall flow of energy in the body and recharges the body’s batteries, or kidneys, with vital energy, or prana. Prana flows through thousands of subtle energy channels called nadis and energy centres called chakras. The amount of prana, the quality of prana and the way it flows through the nadis and chakras determine our mental health.

BREATHING GIFTS

– Control over tensions, worries and fears. – Improves the ability to assess situations objectively. – Improves memory and concentration.

– You feel energetic, enthusiastic and positive.

BALANCES ENERGIES

The three most important energy channels, or nadis, are the East, or cold feminine energy, the Pingla, the warm masculine energy, and the Sushumna, the main channel through which kundalini energy rises when vibration occurs. Both the feminine and masculine energy channels need to be in balance in order to induce this release. Pranayama is the science of balancing energies.

WHY DO I NEED KUNDALINI ENERGY?

Kundalini in Sanskrit means the circulating force, which is each person’s personal original force for development. It flows in our bodies from the moment we are born. The amount of energy available and used determines whether a person is low intelligence, a genius or somewhere in between. People experience kundalini regardless of their status, age, level of development, cultural, philosophical and religious background.

Kundalini energy lies compressed in the lower part of the spine. Energy has its own natural direction, moving up the spine and out of the head. The release of energy can be likened to ripples, flames, pulsation or decay. Usually, the released energy seeks a way out by moving through the spine to the top of the head, and exits through what is known as the crown chakra. The movement of the energetic substance is mostly imperceptible, but a certain heat may be felt in the tail region. The purpose of Kundalini energy is to purify the human mind and body.

PRANAYAMA

BREATHING EXERCISE

Before starting pranayama, find a place where you can sit with your back straight, your body weight equally on each side of the seat, preferably on a tailored seat or simply on a chair with your feet on the ground. Make sure that your buttocks are also in the same straight line as your spine, as if you are being lifted up towards the sky by a string from the top of your spine.

ENERGY CHANNELS

CLEANING

– Use the fingers of your right hand and keep one finger on one nostril at all times. Breathing is as deep as possible and at a calm pace. – Better cover the nasal cavity with your thumb. Inhale through your left nostril. – Cover the left nostril using the middle finger. Breathe out through your right nostril. – Inhale from the right nostril, cover the right nostril and exhale from the left to complete the first round.

– Repeat for 2-30 minutes.

SOURCE

– Cleans

nadi

d, so that energy can flow freely. – With consistent practice, the energy increases and strengthens, and begins to flow spontaneously through the body more smoothly. – Relieves muscle tension and improves posture. – Calms, clears and balances the mind. – Prepares body and mind for meditation. – Normalises the body’s hot and cold cycles and their flow. – Relieves headaches. – Improves concentration and the power of presence.

– Pranayama is an excellent preparation for successful meditation.

WHY SHOULD I MEDITATE?

Meditation is like a brain workout, which increases the brain’s gallop. This is the part of the brain responsible for learning, memory, self-awareness and compassion. It also disciplines automatic reactions in our behaviour. Every time we recall a thought, we are one step closer to the freedom to choose how we want to feel.

Meditation also reduces stress, depression, anxiety and lowers blood pressure. It boosts energy, confidence and mutual understanding. Relaxes the nervous system, helps overcome insomnia and relieves migraines.

MUL POLE AEGA

MEDITEERIDA

You can meditate anywhere. Meditation is about stillness in the mind, and thus the ability to be fully present in the moment. Thoughts are usually about future events or past events, so they do not belong in the present moment. We can meditate by doing anything that doesn’t require thinking. For example, at the gym, washing the dishes, dancing, on the bus or walking. The important thing is to notice and dismiss any thoughts that appear. In this way, we make space for silence in our minds and practice the conscious realisation that we are not our thoughts.

Meditation is also useful if you get a break at work or while studying. For example, if my head gets too hot, I’ll put on a 10-minute piece of music (without lyrics) or just set the timer on with a bell and listen to the silence in my head. From that space of emptiness always come the best solutions.

IN WHAT POSITION

MEDITATE?

There are many different meditation teachings and poses. In Zen meditation, not a hair is moved, while most OSHO meditations are very physically active. I have learned from many teachers and have come to the conclusion that daily meditation practice should be as pleasant as possible.

It is important that the spine is straight from tailbone to tailbone, pointing skywards, and that the soles of the feet or seat bones are against the ground. Sitting up straight in a chair or consciously dancing is also good. You can also meditate lying down, but then you run the risk of falling asleep. I am very aware of every movement I make in meditation. I move slowly, keeping my attention on the feeling of the movement.

PRESENCE MEDITATION

Meditate by focusing your attention on an object or process, such as breathing, a live fire, a mantra, a positive input (e.g. I am confident, calm, valuable and loved, avoid sentences containing denial), visualisation (imagine your dream situation using five senses you hear, see, feel, etc.) or a piece of music (preferably without words). Keep your focus open. This means that while you are focused on one action, you are also aware of everything that is happening inside and outside you. Let go of all thoughts.

TARGET 21 DAYS

There has been much debate about the optimal length of time to establish a habit, but the most common practice is 21 days. In India, at the OSHO International Meditation Centre, it was explained to me as follows: in the first week, the mind resists because the new habit is uncomfortable or boring to the mind; in the second week, the mind starts to give in because its resistance was not responded to; in the third week, results start to appear, so the mind also starts to believe that the new habit is necessary.

Cosmetic surgeon Doctor Maxwell Maltz noticed a strange pattern of behaviour among his patients in 1950. years. His patients usually took a minimum of 21 days to get used to their new situation, to erase old patterns and to establish new behaviours.

To become automatic, a person would need to repeat an activity for at least two months (66 days) on average. This fact comes from a study by health psychology researcher Philippa Lally, who involved 96 people in a daily study over 12 weeks.

I hope you will find a few minutes a day to heal yourself with your attention, breath and presence. Have a nice download!

Elina Kadaja