Breathing for Balance - With out breath we cease to live... Without conscious deep breathes especially in times of stress we cease to live with our bodies in balance. Breathing is a key element to eliminating stress and restoring balance and lightness to our beings. My mother's hospice nurse would always say remember to breathe... It was a simple suggestion with profound results.

When life is going well it is important to pause breath in the fresh air and the aroma of happiness and contentment. When life is rough and uncomfortable, our breathing is a very useful tool to restoring balance. It is a simple way to quiet the mind and meet the challenges that are facing us.

If you change your perception you change your experience. This is a lesson that has been very important for me to learn, both in my personal and business life. When we are harried, wrapped in negative thoughts and the stresses of life it is important to STOP. Take some time to breathe and change our perception, view things from a new prospective. Open to what we are being shown. Don't judge things to be good or bad just look at what is occurring. Practice a moment of detachment and breath. You may not like what is occurring but if you change your perspective you will change your reaction and gain valuable insight into things that are happening in your life. When we tense we limit our breathing and our bodies ability to deal with the physiological reactions that are brought on by negative thoughts. Head aches, increased heart rate, stiffness and tightening of our muscles, adrenaline and other chemicals being released into our body, variations in skin temperature with cold sweaty hands, or flushed faces. Breathing is fundamental to our existence. With awareness we can increase our control of our Breathing, using it as a tool to help us in stressful situations.

Cleansing Breath - Sit with your feet flat on the floor with your shoulders down or stand with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Take in as much air as you can through your nose. As soon as you have inhaled breathe all the air out through your nose. Don't pause in-between breathes. Keep your breathing smooth, centered, and gentle. Let the air flow out of your body don't force it. Continue this exercise for 20 breaths.

Deep Breathing - This breathing exercise is very helpful to calm and center you before making important decisions, facing emotional times, or entering meetings that make you feel uncomfortable. Sit with your back straight, shoulders down and relaxed, and your feet flat on the floor. Breathe in as much air as possible through your nose in a slow deep breath. Slowly exhale through your nose. Count slowly to three and repeat the exercise six more times.