Anxiety and Breathing

Happy Monday,

I hope you are enjoying life, and this series on breathing.

Today in my vlog, I share:

1. An effective breathing method to calm the body-mind, which is very good for those of you who suffer from anxiety.
2. An opportunity to join me in celebrating with the C.H.E.K Professionals that have just completed one of our Advanced Training Programs.

So let’s get started!

Anxiety and Breathing

There are many causes of anxiety, ranging from nutritional imbalances and toxicity, such as heavy metal poisoning, to recreational and medical drug side effects, breathing pattern disorders and, of course, stress.

One of the most common causes of anxiety I see in the people I’ve worked with over the years is fear of what’s next… what’s coming later today, or tomorrow. Often, those who are overly anxious are unaware that they are repeating the same patterns of unconscious behavior (choices) that led them into challenges in the past.

Sometimes, taking time to get clear on what you are ready to create in your life “now,” organizing your thoughts and emotions and directing your efforts in the direction of your dream, goal or objective is all it takes to end anxiety attacks. PPS Success Mastery Lesson 1. How To Find and Live Your Legacy guides you through the essential steps to identifying and creating your dream as well as exploring what challenges in the past may be stopping you or triggering anxiety now.

In my book, How To Eat, Move and Be Healthy!, there are series of self-assessment questionnaires to help you target the specific body system(s) that may be contributing to or causing your anxiety, plus showing you practical ways to balance yourself quickly. For each body system assessed, Zone Exercises that couple movement with breathing to energize the deficient body systems calm the mind and emotions and energize your healing efforts.

In my vlog today, I share a breathing technique that is rooted in the tradition of yoga, and is very helpful for those with anxiety. I couple this yoga technique with a Chinese Medicine approach I call “taking out the garbage.”

“Breathe” by Shawn Rossi is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The method uses a diaphragmatic breath with your tongue on the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth. You begin by inhaling through your nose for four seconds, then holding your breath for six seconds, and exhaling through your mouth for eight seconds. While you exhale, imagine breathing all of your stress out and letting Mother Earth convert the negative energy to positive energy that can be used to energize the soil, plants and trees.

This method usually brings results within as little as three minutes, but I find that for those with more intense bouts of anxiety, it should be done for 10-15 minutes at a time.

For those of you who are avid exercisers, you may want to study our DVD titled Heavy Breathing, presented by C.H.E.K Institute instructor Dan Hellman. This video gives you the essential basics of how to couple breathing and movement to get optimal performance both energetically and physically. Faulty breathing with loaded movements is a commonly overlooked source of structural injury.

I hope you enjoy my vlog on breathing for reducing anxiety today.

C.H.E.K Advanced Training Program Completions

C.H.E.K Practitioner Level 3 Training, July 12-20, San Diego

Matthew Wallden and I co-taught the C.H.E.K Practitioner Level 3 class for an awesome group of  international students here at my office July 12-20.

The students were well prepared and highly intelligent, and moved smoothly through the comprehensive training offered in C.H.E.K Practitioner Level 3, an in-depth course on how to assess clients based on the CHEK Totem Pole.

Matthew and I both felt very grateful to have all of you as students, and grateful that you are out in the world helping people find practical solutions to challenges that often disable people for long periods.

I look forward to seeing each of you in CP4 when you feel ready to finish your C.H.E.K Practitioner training!

CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1 with Jator Pierre, July 14-16, San Diego

Jator Pierre had a beautiful class of students eager to learn how to take care of themselves, and live and love fully.

Jator is very experienced both as a C.H.E.K Practitioner and a CHEK HLC Instructor, and I know the students had all of their questions answered, and more!

Thank you to each of you for joining the C.H.E.K institute, and being the change and the path for others. We look forward to sharing much more with you in HLC 2 when you are ready!

Love and chi,

Paul Chek