The stress and strain of constantly being connected can sometimes take your life -- and your well-being -- off course. GPS For The Soul can help you find your way back to balance.
GPS Guides are our way of showing you what has relieved others' stress in the hopes that you will be able to identify solutions that work for you. We all have de-stressing "secret weapons" that we pull out in times of tension or anxiety, whether they be photos that relax us or make us smile, songs that bring us back to our heart, quotes or poems that create a feeling of harmony, or meditative exercises that help us find a sense of silence and calm. We encourage you to look at the GPS Guide below, visit our other GPS Guides here, and share with us your own personal tips for finding peace, balance and tranquility.
Brandt Passalacqua shares a a simple, grounding exercise below to help you return to the present moment. Try this technique several times a day to teach your body to turn on your relaxation response through breath work.
- Sit in a comfortable position.
- Place your hands on your abdomen.
- Take a big breath in and hold your breath for a moment.
- Exhale and pull your navel toward your spine, so your abdominal muscles come in.
- As you inhale, simply relax your belly so it moves into your hands a bit.
- Exhale with your navel towards your spine.
- Take a few more full breaths.
- Now just let your breath go.
- Let out a few sighs.
The more you practice, the more you'll cultivate a normal breathing pattern where your belly relaxes as you inhale, and just slightly contracts as you breathe out. This will also turn on your parasympathetic nervous system, and move you towards a more relaxed state.
Brandt Passalacqua's Grounding Exercises
Brandt Passalacqua is an author, speaker and the founder of Peaceful Weight Loss™ through Yoga, whose personal journey serves as an inspiration to countless others looking to make peace with food. After struggling with his weight, food, substance addiction, and serious illness, Brandt discovered yoga, and through his practice he developed an appreciation for his body and his health.
Now 100 pounds lighter and at peace in ways he never thought possible, Brandt works as a private yoga therapist helping people meet their own weight loss and wellness goals. In addition to giving lectures and seminars across the country, Brandt trains yoga teachers and health care practitioners in Peaceful Weight Loss™ through Yoga. Brandt maintains an office in Western Massachusetts.
Visit www.peacefulweightloss.com to learn more about Brandt and to read his blogs. Brandt’s latest CD, Being at Peace with Food, is available from More Than Sound.
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