It’s breathing!
You’ve probably never thought about breathing as a relationship tool, but it is a powerful one.
Not to mention all the benefits breathing has to offer you as an individual, apart from the obvious one of keeping you alive!
Breathing In is the first thing we do when we’re born.
Breathing out is the last thing we do before we die.
And the way we breathe in between not only keeps us alive, it has a significant impact on our quality of life in between…
Maybe you’ve noticed how your breath changes depending on how you feel: short and shallow when you’re stressed, deeper and slower when you’re relaxed. Your breath changes when you yawn, sigh, cry or laugh. Not only that but you can change how you feel by actively changing your breath.
We invite you to fall in love with breathing…
This alone will change your relationship! And the exciting thing about quality breathing is that it’s effects are cumulative- the more you do it the quicker and more longer lasting the impact.
From a relationship point of view breathing can:
- Awareness of our breathing connects us to ourselves. This is a good thing as the more we’re connected to ourselves the more we have to share with another.
- Deep breathing helps us get relaxed, present and grounded, making it easier for us to know what to say and to hear what our significant other is really saying!
- Help move emotions through our bodies, avoiding stuckness and mental drama. The more we breathe the more we feel, release and shift.
- Increase access to our intuitive wisdom and our heart’s truth as well as bring mental clarity.
- Accelerated breathing increases our sexual pleasure, deep slow breathing spreads it through our bodies, producing altered states and even spiritual experiences!
Research shows that breathing does a lot more too!
Amongst other things breathing:
- Decreases stress and promotes relaxation
- Helps to decrease anxiety and depression
- Increases happiness and optimism
- Increases self awareness
- Improves focus and concentration
- Improves sleep
- Strengthens our ability to regulate our emotions
- Improves symptoms of trauma
- Reduces impulsivity, cravings and addictions
- Decreases stress and regulates our body’s level of cortisol, the stress hormone
- Strengthens our immunity by altering the genes responsible for them
- Reduces pain and activation of the pain centres in the brain
- Improves digestion
- Oxygenates muscles for better function
- Detoxifies and releases toxins, removes carbon dioxide from the blood, replacing it with oxygen
Someone who is less stressed and depressed, more aware, happier, thinks clearer, sleeps well, regulates their emotions, isn’t ruled by addictions, stress or pain with a healthy tummy and fitter body would be much easier to be in relationship with, don’t you agree?
So take a pause and breathe…
Breathing mindfully can also help your relationship by helping you become less reactive. Can you imagine if instead of saying something mean, you were able to mentally step back and chill before talking? Wouldn’t that be nice? If the state of your mind affects the breath the reverse is true as well and here’s how it can help your relationship. The next time you’re arguing with your partner try taking longer, deeper breaths. Notice how that can quickly reduce anger and connect us with ourselves, allow us to look at the situation from a new perspective.
And last but not least breathing is a natural aphrodisiac
It helps us be more present with our lovers and will not only spread your pleasure into a more full bodied experience whilst increasing the intensity of your orgasm and build sexual stamina.
Falling in love with your breath will help you fall deeper and stay in love with your partner, with yourself and with life!
Breathing Activity:
An optimal breath comes by breathing deeply in through your nose into your belly, allowing your belly to fill, expanding up into your chest and exhaling through a slightly open mouth.
Try practicing breathing (mindfully) as often as you can remember.
Put up little notes around the house, at your computer, on your dashboard, in your meditation, when you exercise, getting ready for sleep, helping you wake up, put a breathing reminder app on our phone, anywhere and everywhere…