John Grinder talks about the link between respiration, physiology, internal state and high performance. He calls this ‘the chain of excellence’. I once read a book by Osho, the deliciously non-PC mystic and guru. In the book, Osho instructed the reader to pay attention to their breathing rate when they were sad, and notice the timing of the in-breath and out-breath. He explained that next time they were happy, they could re-induce the sad state by merely repeating the breathing pattern. Fortunately, he added, it works the other way round too!
1) When you are experiencing a powerful, positive state, allow yourself to become aware of your breathing rate. Pay particular attention to the timing ratio of in-breath to out-breath.
2) Next time you are in a neutral or negative state, start breathing at the rate & ratio from exercise one, & within a minute or so, the positive state should begin to return.
Breathing is powerful, and is a major factor influencing our state of mind (if you don’t believe this, hold your breath for two minutes & re-read this sentence J.) This being the case, use your common sense when doing any of these exercises (if you have a respiratory condition, please check with your health advisor first.)
3) Start breathing comfortably but deeply, in through your nose & out through your mouth. Do the in-breath to a count of 5 and the out-breath to a count of 6. Continue for at least 2 minutes, & notice what happens.
The 5:6 ratio seems to be a simple yet powerful way you can induce a relaxed state at will. The art of Yogic breathing is called Pranayama. Pranayama offers many different approaches for cleansing the mind & body through breathing exercises. Here’s one of them (with thanks to RA Wilson):
4) Lie on your back & pant like a dog, breathing rapidly in & out through your mouth 20 times. Then breathe slowly & gently in & out 20 times through your nose. Once again, do the mouth-panting 20 times, then resume gentle nose-breathing. Notice what happens.
This technique is referred to as the breath of fire, and typically results in a state of… well, you find out!
More advanced
Making changes to someone else’s breathing rate is a powerful way to change their state. Get into rapport by cross-over matching their breathing rate eg. by moving your head to the rhythm of their breathing, then start to slow them down or speed them up. Many other characteristics can shift along with their breathing. NB: Don’t mirror someone’s breathing rate unless you wish to model them. If you do wish to model them, make sure you have the necessary safeguards in place.
Summary
Breathing has a powerful influence on your state…
1) When you are experiencing a powerful, positive state, allow yourself to become aware of your breathing rate. Pay particular attention to the timing ratio of in-breath to out-breath.
2) Next time you are in a neutral or negative state, start breathing at the rate & ratio from exercise one, & notice what happens. Within a minute or so, the positive state should begin to return.
3) Start breathing comfortably but deeply, in through your nose & out through your mouth. Do the in-breath to a count of 5 and the out-breath to a count of 6. Notice what happens.
4) Lie on your back & pant like a dog, breathing rapidly in & out through your mouth 20 times. Then breathe slowly & gently in & out 20 times through your nose. Once again, do the mouth-panting 20 times, then resume gentle nose-breathing. Notice what happens.
Until next time
Until next time, remember that most people don’t breathe nearly enough. Start to breathe more deeply and notice how much better you feel. Have lots of fun, and keep sending me your feedback, including subjects you’d like me to write tips about. Also, if you have areas you’d like added to our website, please let me know J
best wishes,
jamie
PS. Are you already an NLP Practitioner or Master Practitioner who would like to get another perspective on NLP? We offer a 1/3 discount on prac & master prac training if you already hold that certificate. Our workshops are small group sessions over 20 days so you really get the opportunity to build your skills. With us, you & your results count.
jamie smart
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