The Journey to Peace: Day 4

Welcome to the fourth day.

Begin by finding a comfortable position,

Seated,

Lying down,

Standing or walking,

With a relaxed and awake posture.

You might want to stretch your back carefully and soften your shoulders.

See if you can relax your belly a bit and open your chest wide.

Now close your eyes and direct your attention to your breathing.

Focus on the physical sensations in the belly and chest of air that is flowing in and flowing out.

If you want you can put a hand on your belly,

Let your thoughts take care of themselves for a while and keep returning to your breath.

Just follow the inhalation and the exhalation again and again.

Have you felt tired in these first exercises?

It's common.

We often have a sleep deficit and it doesn't help that we burn through the day with lots of coffee and stimulating screens.

A long rest is the best solution but first we have to learn how to rest.

This is something I wish someone told me when I grew up,

That resting is a skill just like anything else.

When we follow the breath we are resting our mind and thus our body.

In every inhalation your nervous system is activated and in every exhalation it slows down.

This pendulum of the breath helps us come to balance and rest.

Regardless of how your breath is feeling just let it be.

Allow the air to flow in through your nostrils and mouth,

Fill the lungs,

Expand the chest and belly and then relax as the air leaves and makes room for a new breath and new life.

Your breath is in balance and balance is a key on the journey to peace,

A key that opens many doors in the mind.

Finish by taking a few deep breaths.

Inhaling,

Exhaling.

Congratulations!

You are now more than halfway through the first week and have found a new key to balance your inner life.