Yoga includes physical postures, meditation and breathwork or pranayama. Any of these elements can be used for anger management. This article will focus on breath work.Pranayama is a general term to describe all yoga breathing exercises. Prana means life force and yama means to direct it. Below are 2 different kinds of yoga breathing exercises that have been simplified to make them easier and more practical to do. Each pranayama can help you manage anger effectively.
Instructions
1. Try this easy yoga breathing exercise to help you dispel anger. Inhale through the nose and making a "ha" sound, exhale out the mouth and stick out your tongue. Repeat 2 to 3 times. This allows your breathing to become deeper and help release physical tension in the lungs and chest. This is a variation of "lion's breath." It will simply release the anger without drama or trauma.
2. Resume normal breathing by inhaling and exhaling through the nose. Without being forceful, take a few breaths where you pause slightly at the top of the inhale and then exhale. If you feel dizzy or light-headed, stop the breath work and simply return to normal breathing.
3. Now, try to do several more rounds of the pausing breath work with slightly longer pauses between the inhalations and exhalations. Inhale for a count of 4, pause for a count of 2 and exhale for a count of 4. Repeat 2 more times. Stop the breath work if you become dizzy or you feel you are working beyond your lung's capacity. If you experience any physical discomfort, simply return to normal breathing.
4. You have completed breath work for day one. For the next 30 days, repeat the lion's breath and an easy 3 rounds of pausing breath work. As long as you are able to do the pausing breath work without any discomfort, continue your routine.
5. Once you have comfortably practiced this breath work for at least a few days, put it to the test: the next time you sense you are going to lose your temper, take a lion's breath. Then, do the pausing breath work: inhale for 4, pause for 2, exhale for 4. Even doing this for one round will help you displace your anger long enough to deepen your breathing.Practicing this breathing exercise will help you learn to pause. When you are able to pause in a confrontational situation, you will be more likely to be responsive, not reactive.
Tags: breath work, pausing breath, pausing breath work, lion breath, normal breathing