Angie Saunders is one of WOMEN IN BLOOM speakers. She’s a former Entertainer & Hollywood Production Coordinator. She is the co-founder and facilitator of The Breathing Studio and The Online Breathing Academy. She firmly believes that her role in this lifetime is to be the example for her family & all she meets, that by taking the time to nurture ourselves in mindful practices we can improve the human experience and create a little bit of heaven on earth.
Here are Angie’s answers to some well-being questions:
1. Why is it important we all learn to breathe properly?
No one usually worries about their breathing until it becomes difficult…
So let’s put it into perspective… how long can you go without food or water… but how long can you go without breathing?
Shouldn’t we be paying just a little bit more attention to it?
A lot of people these days suffer from anxiety, depression or mood swings… most think they might have a mental health issue when really they might just possibly only have a breathing issue.
2. Can changing the way we breathe impact our quality of life?
Oh yes! There are certain breathing patterns that have us feel anxious, depressed or moody… and certain breathing patterns for when you feel joy and love… certain breathing patterns serves a positive biochemical change in your respiration (a joyful breathing pattern can directly effect the experience of anxiety etc)… when you change how you breath it can be as if by magic you just feel better… I have seen this too many times to not believe that you really can feel better in as little as a few breaths… think about it… how do you feel after you take a big sigh at the end of the day? Or how do you feel after having a yawn or a big cry? All related to a change in the way we are breathing. If we paid just a little bit more attention to how we breathe day to day, it’s enough to make a change in how we feel.
3. What is your key message for women as they age?
Science has proven that the way we breathe can effect our hormones as well as our moods. Many of the health practitioners these days encourage us as (especially as we age) to learn to manage our stress or to manage the symptoms / reactions to menopause… they might suggest holistic practices such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga or a change of lifestyle. All of us inherently know we’d like to enjoy life a little more but have difficulties doing so with so many things out of our control.
One thing we do have control over is ourselves… how we breathe… and how we experience or perceive life. Why not take control of that and work with it?
“Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional” – The Dalai Lama Haruki Murakami
Life may be painful at times, especially with the things that we cannot control… but how we view the experience is totally up to the individual experiencing it. We can look at things in life as happening to us… or for us… to help us on our path to our hearts true desires… to learn vital lessons and grow into our own unique wisdom.
When used consciously, our breath can help us to navigate through the rough waters of life… as well as help to truely be present to the beautiful moments.
After all… it’s there with you through it all… why not work with it?
BREATH ME
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