“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”
― Amit Ray
So many of my students come to me suffering with moderate or extreme anxiety. In fact, I was actually asked the question this week, “isn’t it normal to be anxious?”
Of course we get anxious when we are confronted by negative influences or when we have to face great challenges in our lives, but no, living in a state of anxiety should not be considered ‘normal’.
It may become ‘normal’ for some people to exist in an anxious state and to be trapped in its tethers, but there are ways to break free of it, or at the very least to ease it when it overwhelms our being.
One way to manage chronic anxiety is to ‘live in the breath’. It sounds simple, and I know that those who suffer with anxiety would be saying ‘as if’!
But these words are being written by one who suffered with extreme anxiety for a long, long time years ago. Me! I understand. That is why I do what I do and wish to pass my knowledge and experiences on to you.
Truly ‘the breath’ is a panacea….once recognised as such, and once practised efficiently.
There are many, many ways to breathe effectively and many practices that can help one do this.
However, a beautiful and greatly effective yogic method is ‘Maha Yoga Pranyama’.
(Maha – meaning great; Yoga – the union between the body, breath and mind; Pranyama – extension of the life force that we take in when we breathe deeply and slowly).
This YouTube is for you.
A complimentary session.
7 minutes long.
Invaluable benefits.
Please try it! And practise not once but often….
The importance of breathing need hardly be stressed. It provides the oxygen for the metabolic processes; literally it supports the fires of life. But breath as “pneuma” is also the spirit or soul. We live in an ocean of air like fish in a body of water. By our breathing we are attuned to our atmosphere. If we inhibit our breathing we isolate ourselves from the medium in which we exist. In all Oriental and mystic philosophies, the breath holds the secret to the highest bliss. That is why breathing is the dominant factor in the practice of Yoga.”
coolcalmandconnected 
Thank you Annemaree for yet another helpful post.
I read it just before my visit to my Dentist this morning. The result was, that the consultation was over in no time at all! All I remember is breathing deeply “in & out” & saying to myself “slow down”. It was so effective, & the timing of my reading your post was brilliant.
With thanks, Helen x