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Excerpt From “Focused and Fearless” by Shaila Catherine
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ADDITIONAL TOOLS
“CALM THE EXHALE: If you find yourself agitated at the beginning of the meditation session, you might intentionally use the breath to calm the body and mind.
For several breaths, focus on the exhale, slowly extending the exhale.
Gently and smoothly control the exhale—as though you are breathing through a straw—to facilitate a smooth, slow, and even release.
Enjoy this for several breaths and then return to a natural rhythm of breathing, bringing interest to the point of occurrence at the nostrils.”
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My two cents: They teach Navy Seals to take action when experiencing fear by slowing and extending the exhales.
Fear, our adrenal stress response can be calmed using the breath.
Doubling the length of our exhales, Doubles activation time of our parasympathetic nervous system (the brakes).
The breath is our life force, the connection between our body and the external world. We breathe or it breathes without input or thought.
Our breath is the most powerful tool we possess.
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