Health Tip:Alternate Breathing
How to deal with stress? What to do when we are anxious? Or when fear accosts us? Is there a tool which we can use without getting the traditional, boring advice from a “know it all”? In most such instances, we are looking for instant relief, and the good news is, that's exactly what this MM post covers.
The Yoga masters discovered the technique of Nadi Shodana or Anouloma Viloma and referred to as the alternative breathing technique in English. The technique has been practiced in India for thousands of years. I myself have been practicing it for the last 23 yrs. In my experience, it is one of the most powerful, instant relief techniques that has been presented to mankind. Why? It strikes at the root of the problem, which is OXYGEN, or the lack of it. Most people in negative emotional states (anxiety, fear, anger, restlessness, etc) have incomplete breathing accompanied by unpleasant feeling in the body. The biological reason is, there is not enough oxygen ( in layman's terms) in the blood which causes the heart to beat faster (more carbon dioxide).Without getting into the biology of it which involves complex functioning of hypothalamus, pons varolli and the medulla, simply put, alternate breathing balances the flow of energy (oxygen) equally to both hemispheres of the brain and harmonizes it.The two hemispheres of the brain are each (left side) responsible for optimum logical thinking and (right side) for optimum creative thinking.According to doctors most people breathe through only one nostril throughout the day and if it is through the right nostril? You are considered healthy. Another reason why you should be aware of the breathe, don't you think?
How to practice the technique?
- Gently press your ring finger against your left nostril and inhale slowly through your right nostril to a count of Seven
- Hold breathe for a count of Seven
- Exhale through the left nostril to a count of Seven while gently pressing the thumb against the right nostril
- Repeat same starting with alternate nostril
That's one complete round of Nadi Shodhana --
- Inhale through the right nostril
- Hold breathe
- Exhale through the left nostril
- Repeat in reverse
Begin with 2-3 min and add more minutes as you feel ready. Remember to keep your breathing slow, easy, focused and full. I have attached a video below which demonstrates the technique!
When to do it?
Do I need to answer that question? You should plan to practice them at least twice a day for 3 min each for best results or anytime you are not feeling that great!! You will be amazed at the instant relief this technique can bring you.It is best to practice it in fresh air or near open windows.
Benefits of the technique: Instant stress relief,cures anxiety,anger,restlessness and several other subtler emotionally unhealthy states,aids in fat loss(true) & sharpens concentration.
Reference:http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/pranayama/basic/viloma.asp
Business Tip: Power of goal setting
This is a very elaborate topic and I could spend days providing material on it but my aim is to be concise on very deep topics. I am sure many of us have seen the power of goals setting at different stages in our lives. I here present to you a systematic way of setting goals and how to achieve them. In my opinion, there is nobody better than Zig Ziglar ,who is considered an authority on this topic. Here is a bio on Zig http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zig_Ziglar
Find below a brief overview and a link with details (for the nerdy types)and the best 15 min video on goal setting by Zig -it is a classic!!
http://www.about-goal-setting.com/
The Goal Setting Blueprint
Step 1 - Intense Desire: Rocket Fuel For When You Set Goals!
Step 2 - Writing Goals Down Ties Them Up!
Step 3 - To Reach Goals: Bypass Resistance & Gather Assistance
Step 4 - Goal Planning: Use Deadlines As Lifelines
Step 5 - Goal Objectives: Looking Ahead To Get Ahead With Planning
Step 6 - When Reaching Goals Use Mental Pictures: Put An MGM Studio In Your Head!
Step 7 - Achieving Goals: The Remaining 90% - Sheer Persistence
My experience with goal setting:
I have never applied Zig's systematic approach to setting goals but I have followed a more crude but effective way of writing my goals.More often that not, I have achieved most of my written goals. I wonder what would happen if I exactly followed what Zig teaches?
Inspirational Story
This story is an amazing case of a boy from one of the most rural parts of India making it on a full scholarship to one of the best schools in the world. He can supposedly concentrate for more than 12 hrs at a stretch-WOW!!!
http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/may/13sld1.htm
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