The present is a gift
Last week I meditated in a seated position.
I started with regular breaths, inhaling through my nose and exhaling out my mouth. As I lifted my spine, pulling my torso upwards, I started taking deeper breaths.
With each inhale, my stomach expanded and I felt sensations throughout my arms, fingers, legs and feet.
Each time a thought or two came through, I shifted my focus to my breath and the sensations dominating my body. After several long and focused breaths, I started to feel calm, relaxed and "high."
There was no to-do list.
No images of people or things.
No societal constructs of anything.
No past, no future.
No pain, just sensations.
I let my mind go "white."
Nothingness.
Then I started to cry. Not from sadness, longing, joy or pain. The tears were just tears. I didn't feel bad or good. I just felt.
My mind let go and so did my body. Twenty-two minutes later, I slowly opened my eyes, smiled and thanked myself.
As magical as my experience may have felt, there's a biological explanation for it. To geek out for a moment, here's what happens when you take slow and deep breaths:
➤ Your parasympathetic nervous system is engaged (calm mode)
➤ Your vagus nerve (the axis that connects your head brain with your gut "brain") is stimulated; this is a very good thing
➤ Your head brain releases endorphins (from the pituitary gland), which are chemical signals that block the perception of pain and responsible for feelings of euphoria and pleasure
➤ The production of endorphins also promotes the release of dopamine, which is another feel-good hormone
Now you know why meditation is a highly encouraged activity to practice on a regular basis. Do you practice meditation or any form of deep breathing?
Jumpstart your gut health and achieve vitality by downloading my free guide here! If you’re ready to gain energy, clarity and high levels of serotonin, I’d love to help. Book your free Gut Check Sesh here and let’s make it happen!
