Breathe well to cope better and recover faster from Coronavirus.
An short excerpt from the Netflix documentary on coping with Coronavirus.
You can always practice breathing at 6 breaths per minute here, now.
You might also find these simple breathing exercises helpful too.
Five 15 minute meditations with MTW.
Photo by Robert Winter
Meditation is a practice of self-enquiry. Listening to your inner world requires silence outside. That’s why there is only a few minutes of guidance to set up your silent meditation on the recordings below.
They’re a great way to move from fully guided meditation to sitting silently on your own.
They were recorded a while ago for my original Stillworks course, but I thought you might like to hear them now.
Start.
Try one a day for five days and see how you go.
Ocean
Blue Sky
Moonlight
Glow
Observe
How can we experience more of these powerful moments in our busy lives?
Hands up. I’m more of a hippy than a hipster. Going with the flow for me was always a way of just letting life happen and not taking any responsibility for it. Weirdly though in the 90s I was also an alcoholic adman. I got a lot done but at a great cost, to myself. I was stressed, depressed and drinking far too much. Not a great ad for a hippy really.
Following the sudden and tragic death of my brother in 1998 I realised that my life needed to change. So I went from an out of control world of obsessive doing to the seemingly calmer waters of life as a yoga and meditation teacher — a life of obsessive being. I learnt how by controlling my breath, I could control my mind. By strengthening and opening my body, I could find increased mental clarity and emotional resilience. And then when I started to create and do again, this time from a place of stillness and wellbeing, I started to find a deeper sense of flow. Doing with flow as well going with the flow.
This mysterious state of ‘flow’ when we lose ourselves in what we are doing, whilst performing at our best, is elusive. Most of us have had moments when we felt ‘in the zone’ or ‘at one’ and yet most of the time we are not. The management consultancy McKinsey observed that people in flow were 5 times more productive. And not only do they get more done but they often get their best work done in flow.
“A living body is not a fixed thing but a flowing event, like a flame or a whirlpool.”
Alan Watts
From moments… and momentum… to the momentous!
Moments
How long is a moment?
In medieval times moments were more common than seconds (not hard as they didn’t exist then!). There were 40 moments in every solar hour, and there were 12 solar hours every ‘day’. And as days meant the time between sunrise and sunset, moments got longer in summer and shorter in winter.
In her book A Tale for the Time Being, Ruth Ozeki explains the Zen mathematics of a moment through the time it takes to snap your fingers:
1 fingersnap = 65 moments
6,400,099,980 moments = one day
98,463,077 fingersnaps in a day
In truth the length of any moment is a personal thing. And yet people’s experiences of moments of flow do seem to have a lot in common:
You feel fully present
Your being and doing are one
Your inner critic is asleep
You feel in control
You have lost a sense of time
You feel worthwhile
Moments of flow do need periods of uninterrupted activity though. (I would say at least 20 minutes which can be all too rare these days.)
Mihály Czíkszentmihályi who coined the phrase ‘flow’ in the 1970s observed this commonality of experience with artists, musicians, performers and adventurers when they were having peak experiences.
“Your concentration is complete. Your mind isn’t wandering, you are not thinking of something else; you are totally involved in what you are doing… Your energy is flowing very smoothly. You feel relaxed, comfortable, and energetic.”
Dancer
“You are so involved in what you are doing [that] you aren’t thinking of yourself as separate from the immediate activity… You don’t see yourself as separate from what you are doing.”
Rock climber
“… the concentration is like breathing — you never think of it. The roof could fall in and, if it missed you, you would be unaware of it.”
Chess player
So how can we experience more of these powerful moments in our busy lives?
First it helps to understand the flow cycle. It starts with struggle. So if your first moments are difficult ones you know you’re on your way. Then comes the feeling of challenge, that you’re stretching yourself. Again not a particularly enjoyable moment! Finally you enter into flow. And then before you can get there again, there’s the final part of the flow cycle which is release, or time to recover.
Momentum
Have you ever prepared yourself properly to get into the flow state?
Here’s what you need to get there:
Be clear about your goal
Have the right skills to do it
Get live feedback on your progress
Challenge yourself
Create a distraction free environment
If you’re lacking any of the above, ask yourself if you can do anything about it? If you can, do it!
To clarify a goal, why not ask someone who has been there before.
To improve your skill, go on a course and get some practice in.
Find ways to improve your feedback loops — from others, digital tools or the work itself.
Stretch yourself. Move out of your comfort zone.
Turn off the internet! And all the notifications on your phone. Minimise disruptions. Train your mind to focus better through mindful meditation.
The flow channel is a meandering path from stretching yourself to regrouping, recovering and reflecting. If the challenge is too great for your level of skill, you will become anxious. If the challenge is too low, you will become bored. See if you can play with the dynamics of ‘stretch & learn’ and find your flow.
Recent research into top pianists and flow has also given us a significant physiological insight. As well as getting excited and stimulated when they are playing, top pianists also manage to maintain a healthy and balanced nervous system. They do this through using their breathing to maintain high levels of activity in the relaxation response branch of their nervous system.
When your breathing rhythm is synchronised with your heart and nervous system, you are in a state of coherence. According to Dr Alan Watkins: ‘Coherence is, in essence, the biological under-pinning of what elite performers call ‘the flow state’: a state of maximum efficiency and super- effectiveness where body and mind are one.’
To help more people get into flow through timing their breathing well, I created the app, BreatheSync for iPhone. People use it to get centred quickly, prepare to create or perform and to unwind after a busy day. Some use it to get into the sleep zone too. What would you do if you could breathe yourself better?
Momentous
By living more presently, in our moments, we grow the awareness necessary to make each one matter more. With practice and the right tools we develop the art of momentum. And if this is in the right direction (aligned with a sense of meaning and purpose), then we cannot avoid making momentous things. Fully embodied results than have the respect of all the means used to get them.
Flow is sometimes called an Autotelic experience, meaning what you do in flow is as much of a reward as the results of what you are doing. The journey is the goal as the saying goes. Yogis have always known this. In fact the word yoga has 2 distinct meanings:
Realising your full potential.
The practices by which you attain no. 1
As the father of flow, Mihály Czíkszentmihályi said: “The similarities between yoga and flow are extremely strong; in fact it makes sense to think of yoga as a very thoroughly planned flow activity. Both try to achieve a joyous, self-forgetful involvement through concentration, which in turn is made possible by a discipline of the body.”
Light is both a particle and a wave. Something fixed and at the same something flowing. And so are we. Our reality is equally contradictory. There is a feeling of being constant, a part of us that is always the same — our centre, our sense of ‘I’. And in the same breath, there is the experience of life — where the only constant is change.
How we hold these two aspects of ourselves makes a big difference to how we cope with the stresses and strains along the way. As we find better ways to relate to ourselves, we get closer to our potential — our power to change not only ourselves but the world around us.
I hope you find your flow. It will not only lead you to great things but will make the journey worth it too.
Originally published in the Hiut Denim Yearbook.
Journey to a future you.
Gaining a new perspective on where you are now and where you really want to be can unblock possibilities.
When your everyday challenges feel disconnected from the future you thought you were building, disillusionment creeps in.
So when you feeling really unclear about what lies ahead, why not try this 10 minute exercise to take your imagination and heart felt desires on a journey to a new you?
Don't be blocked by your current thinking.
This short visualisation exercise will be relaxing and allow you to dream and connect to how you want to feel about your future as well as think about it. Have a pen and paper ready to write down any insights afterwards.
Above The Clouds - journey to a future you.
How to practice the Sun Salutations.
Yoga by Rebecca Kemp. Words by Michael Townsend Williams. Music by Katie Elliott. Film by Andrew Kemp. [3 mins]
One round of Sun Salutation consists of two sequences, the first leading with the right foot in positions 4 and 9, the second leading with the left.
Keep your hands in one place from positions 3 to 10 and try to co-ordinate your movements with your breathing.
Start by practising four rounds and gradually build up to twelve rounds.
1. Exhale
Stand with feet together and hands in the prayer position in front of your chest. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed.
2. Inhale
Stretch your arms up and arch back from the waist, pushing the hips out, legs straight.
Relax your neck.
3. Exhale
Fold forward, and press your palms down, fingertips in line with toes – bend your knees if necessary.
4. Inhale
Bring the left (or right) leg back and place the knee on the floor. Arch back and look up, lifting your chin.
5. Retain
Hold the breath, bring the other leg back and support your weight on hands and toes.
6. Exhale
Lower your knees, then your chest and then your forehead, keeping your hips up and your toes curled under.
7. Inhale
Lower your hips, point your toes and bend back. Keep legs together and shoulders down. Look up and back.
8. Exhale
Curl your toes under, raise your hips and pivot into an inverted ‘V’ shape. Try to push your heels and head down and keep your shoulders back.
9. Inhale
Step forward and place the left (or right) foot between your hands. Rest the other knee on the floor and look up, as in position 4.
10. Exhale
Bring the other leg forward and bend down from the waist, keeping your palms as in position 3.
11. Inhale
Stretch your arms forward, then up and back over your head and bend back slowly from the waist, as in position 2.
12. Exhale
Gently come back to an upright position and bring your arms down by your sides.
Why not synchronise your breathing to 6 breaths per minute with our Do Breathe Now video?
3 steps to re-centre and regain momentum.
The title of this post is the same at the sub-title of my book Do Breathe: Calm your mind. Find focus. Get stuff done.
And yet this is the first time I’ve written about them in this new context we all find ourselves in.
Like many I’ve been in shock, and I’m only just now emerging into this new reality. Strangely however, our inner reality has changed very little. Except for the crucial fact that we are faced with it more than ever.
How you deal with your inner world over the next months will define how you respond and hopefully grow.
And all this starts with keeping your cool.
If you’re feeling stuck or in a rut, why not try this simple 3 step exercise: Calm your mind. Find focus. Get stuff done.
1. Calm your mind.
The fastest way to slow down your thoughts, is first to slow down your breath.
We recommend 6 breaths per minute.
This has been shown in research to be the ideal rate for most people to trigger their innate relaxation response and reduce stress.
Try following these 3 simple steps, to breathe yourself better and calm your mind.
Sit down somewhere comfortable and preferably quiet. (Or put headphones on). Place both hands on your belly with the fingers lightly touching and breathe deeply from the belly.
Close your eyes and focus on breathing in and out through your nose. Feel the air passing softly and smoothly.
Count to 5 as you breathe in and 5 as you breathe out.
Repeat for 3-5 minutes. (And everytime you wash your hands.)
By reducing stress you will be able to access the front part of your brain and think more clearly.
You can listen to, and watch, a 2 minute guided breathe with Michael here.
2. Find focus.
Your mind is probably still full of thoughts and concerns. So now we are going to empty your mind and find focus.
Watch this video or follow the instructions below.
Take a small notepad and pen.
Write down one thing per page if possible and continue to write until everything is off your mind.
Personal stuff. Work stuff. Other stuff. Things to do. Things to buy. Things to make. People to connect with. Ideas to share. Small issues. Big ones.
Whatever is on your mind, write it down.
By reducing this mental load you can access more of your brain power to think and make better decisions.
Now spend a few minutes looking through the contents of your mind and circle the 3 most compelling issues to work on. Maybe a work one, a personal one and a social one?
As you consider, reflect on these questions:
What would a successful outcome look like?
Can you visualise yourself doing it?
How will you feel when it’s sorted?
Now write down the 3 issues on separate pages and your 3 outcomes beneath each one.
3. Get stuff done.
Most to-do lists are un-doable.
They are often a list of issues or outcomes without the next action clearly defined. This is why you get stuck and lose momentum.
So let’s break each outcome down into the very next action.
Start with a verb. Call. Email. Find. Make.
Are you sure this is the next action? And you have everything you need to do it?
When you are your sure you know the next action for each of the 3 key issues you chose, ask yourself this:
Can it be done in 2 minutes or less?
If yes, just do it, now.
Find your centre. Act wisely.
And breathe...
If you found this useful, please share with anyone you know who’s feeling a little stuck.
Let’s breathe the world better, together.
Awareness of our breath connects us to the way we move, the way we think, and the way we feel.
The way we breathe reflects the way we live.
Breathing is the only system in the body that works both unconsciously and, at the same time, can be consciously controlled. We can breathe away stress. We can breathe our minds into focus. We can breathe ourselves into the present moment.
Or, we can use our breath to exaggerate our stress response and make things even worse—and let’s be honest, we’ve all done that!
Stress makes us do things that don’t serve us and stops us doing things that nourish us. It makes us say things we don’t mean to those closest to us, and ruins the most precious of moments.
And yet, we have the most advanced stress-reduction technology in the world with us whenever we need it. Not our phones, our breath.
Listen to your breath. It will tell you when you need to refocus or rest. Unlike your mind, it only has one agenda, to look after you the best it can. Make your breath your constant companion and it really will be your best friend forever.
Here are some practical ways to breathe yourself better every day.
“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist and poet
Relax.
Breathe like a baby. Babies are the best breathers. They haven’t learnt any bad habits yet and they use their physiology efficiently, as nature intended. As such, they breathe from their bellies, which is 20 per cent more energy efficient. They breathe through their noses.
They breathe out longer to calm down.
Try it now:
Breathe in from the belly through the nose to a count of four.
Breathe out from the belly through the nose to a count of six.
Repeat until you feel just right.
Breathing at this rhythm of six breaths per minute has been shown to optimize the impact on your physiology.
Watch the video and relax.
Balance.
Simple, alternate nostril breathing balances the flow of the breath from one nostril to the other, creating focus and harmony. Use your right hand to open and close the nostrils, using the thumb on the right nostril and the ring finger on the left one. (Tip: fold the index and middle fingers into the palm of your hand.) Research in India has also shown a connection with the healthy functioning of the autonomic nervous system.
Try it now:
Close the right nostril and exhale completely out the left.
Inhale through the left nostril to a count of 4.
Exhale through the right nostril to a count of 6.
Inhale through the right nostril.
Exhale through the left nostril.
Continue as above for a few minutes.
Watch the video and rebalance.
Focus.
Our attention spans are decreasing. We are finding it harder and harder to focus. Goldfish have attention spans of around nine seconds. Sadly, according to the New York Times, humans now have only eight.
Luckily we can regain control of the ability to focus better. Simply counting breaths can train your mind to not only pay more attention but also to recover faster from distractions, and before you know it you will be in a state of meditation without even trying to be.
Find a quiet spot and try this:
Count both your inhalations and exhalations from 40 down to 20.
Count just your exhalations from 20 down to zero.
Just follow your breath for a few minutes.
Pause.
The states of our mind and our breath are linked. At the end of our in-and-out breaths there are little pauses. Slightly lengthen them. Notice them. Observe what happens in your mind. As your breath stills, so does your mind.
Next time you find your mind racing, notice these gaps.
Finding some mental space can help you move on more clearly. Why not use these natural pauses to also remind you to take more breaks in your day?
Research shows that people who take regular short breaks of around 15 minutes every hour are more productive than those who just keep going.
Watch the video and pause.
Energy.
We can go days without food, hours without water but only minutes without breath. Breathing is our main source of energy.
However, when we face a big challenge, need courage or are in a period of mental or physical recovery, we probably need some really deep breaths. Don’t forget to completely exhale though, as if no matter how much you breath in, without that long exhale you will not be using your breath to your full capacity.
Breathe in to a count of six from the belly, to the chest and above.
Breathe out slowly with control to a count of 12.
Practice three rounds.
“Our breath is perhaps the greatest connector of all. It connects us to our planet. When we breathe out, plants breathe in. Our breath connects our bodies with our minds – when we slow down, we think better.”
Michael Townsend Williams, from Do Breathe: Calm Your Mind. Find Focus. Get Stuff Done.
A collaboration with lululemon in Europe & Asia
A day of breathing yourself better.
What would your day be like if you made every breath just a little bit better?
Try this:
When you wake-up:
Get up! Sit up on your bed. Take 10 deep mindful breaths from the belly.
Breakfast:
Sit down to eat. Close your eyes and take one deep breath being thankful for the food in front of you.
On the way to work:
Practice counting your breaths to train your attention.
In your first meeting:
Close your eyes and do three guided breaths together with your colleagues. It will bring you closer together, and that’s always good for business.
At lunchtime:
Sit somewhere away from your desk and preferably outside (weather permitting). Close your eyes and eat your first mouthful slowly, savouring the flavours and textures. Now take one mindful breath with awareness.
Afternoon tea:
Stopping is often the most productive thing you can do. Give your mind a rest. Create your own tea ceremony. Take time. Make it beautiful. And breathe…
With friends:
Give someone a big hug. Heart to heart. Hold them a little longer. Breathe with them. Really feel being with them. Look into their eyes and smile.
Before bed:
Sit for a few minutes. Let the thoughts of the day come and go. Return to your breath. How does it feel? If you have trouble sleeping, breathe like a baby and you might also sleep like one.