Mind Tools & Inspirations: Brain cooling
Lowering the temperature, gently slowing the activities of your mind, can help you see more clearly.
In this 3-minute practice you use breath and attention to cool your human system.
TRY THIS…
If you have time, let me guide you so you can focus on your experience.
HERE IS THE PRACTICE
Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Notice how you feel.
Notice the activity level of your thinking.
Inhale here.
Let your cheeks puff out as you exhale slowly through your mouth, gently releasing the air.
It’s almost as if you are blowing to cool a warm drink.
Take a rest breath. Inhaling and exhaling at your own pace. Inhaling again.
On your next exhale, slowly blowing air through your lips, puffing your cheeks to help slow the breath.
Then take a rest breath. Inhaling, exhaling, then inhaling again.
Continue this, at your own pace.
As you breathe like this, have a sense that as you exhale you are letting go of excess heat.
Notice how you feel.
Return to the cooling breath.
Inhale.
Then let your cheeks puff out as you exhale slowly through your mouth, gently releasing air.
Letting your exhale be slow and comfortable.
Taking a rest breath. Inhale, exhale, inhale at your own pace.
Then exhale slowly through your mouth, gently puffing your cheeks to help slow the breath.
As you continue to breathe like this, have a sense that as you exhale you are clearing your mind, letting go of what you no longer need.
Notice the activity level of your thinking.
WHY DO THIS?
This practice teaches a cooling breath technique that you can do for a few minutes on your own, whenever it might be helpful.
It’s important to include the comfortable rest breath after each long slow exhale to help your system stay balanced and connected to your natural breath pattern.
It takes a lot of attention to alternate long slow exhales with natural rest breaths. And that’s a good thing. It gives your mind something to do.
Long slow exhales through the mouth are associated with cooling, clearing, and releasing.
Mind Tools & Inspirations are experiences for busy, smart, curious people to help you operate your human system.
To access the full set of Mind Tools visit https://www.yogamindtools.com/mind-tools-inspirations
I add a new experience every week.
Kindly,
Carrie
Carrie Heeter, PhD
Yoga Mind Tools
I really love having these available to relax with when I need them.
I have a lot of things to let go of. I am going to be breathing them out as I do.