Finding Clarity in the Calm
We are back talking about “finding clarity.” This week we’re specifically talking about finding clarity by tapping into our inner state of calm. There is so much were we are reacting or responding in this life to external forces, people’s opinions, ideas of things, that we don’t even have this ability to digest what it means for ourselves and find our own sense of clarity around something. Sometimes I think we have these ideas or opinions about things, but we haven’t actually acquired them ourselves. They are just some external force that’s giving us the idea. And so the idea of finding clarity is tapping into your own sense of what is true and right for yourself. Specifically for your health and healing, in relationships, career, where you should be living… all of it. We have this ability to have an inner sense of knowing what’s right and helpful for us at any given moment.
One of my dear friends is a chiropractor and we always talk about muscle testing. I just find that absolutely fascinating. The concept behind it, that I understand, is that your body innately knows what is right an appropriate at any given moment and that you have this way of understanding that by just tapping into the body. We also have another ability to tap into our inner sense of knowing and clarity by being calm. Being in a state of rest and digest at any given moment. So being in a state of calm is being in a parasympathetic nervous system state where we can actually digest what’s happening in our life.
One of the practices that I love is to stimulate the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a neuro-network system in our body that goes from our brain, through the throat and chest, and down to our digestive and filtration organs. The brain sends signals down to the organs of our body and the organs sent signals back up to the brain. It’s so cool. One of the ways that we can stimulate it is by engaging the throat through humming, singing, and chanting. There are so many beautiful practices that will stimulate the vagus nerve. One of my favorite is bhramari, bee’s breath. It is humming. There are many ways to do it. You can be seated on your meditation cushion, you can be hiking, making dinner, while you’re with your kids, or even… while on a crazy zoom meeting for work (maybe while on mute!). You’re creating this slight contraction at the base of your throat, while breathing in and out of your nose. Take a calm breath in through your nose and then a long exhale making a humming sound. You don’t want it to feel aggressive or forced. You want it to feel nature and calming. Try 5-10 cycles of bee’s breath and see how if feels. Here is a nice article that can get you started.
Alright, that’s what I got for you this week. Let me know how it goes!
Wishing you the best
