Welcome back yoga instructor and wellness specialist Katie Sayad to the Fruitful Life Blog for Find Your Balance this Spring Part II! Last time, she helped us find our balance this spring through the art of meditation, and now she's helping us find our balance through deep breathing and essential oils...

The Gift of Breath

In the end, the longest and most important relationship any of us will ever have is with ourselves. The better we know ourselves—what we’re good at and what brings us joy—the easier it is to focus on what we want to create. While we cannot always control what goes on outside, we may control what goes on inside. To help that process, we have a tool that is right under our nose. Literally. Our breath.

Breath work is an incredible tool to help soothe our way into a new season, a new beginning, by training us in letting go. Nothing is permanent—including our breath. Our breath is always changing, always flowing. The same is true of our thoughts. We can observe through our breath that our thoughts are coming and going as well. There are not here to stay. By focusing more on our breath, we can develop our mind, training it to be able to stay present to the impermanence of life. In time, this helps us to feel more relaxed, centered, patient, compassionate, and less critical of ourselves and situations.

Slow, deep breathing has a calming effect on the nervous system that allows us to shift from the fight or flight response to the relaxation response. This is incredibly important because in fight or flight we are reactive. We act without considering consequences. This reaction is critical when we are in a life-or-death situation but otherwise, reactivity can cause more harm than good. So, when we practice mindful breathing, we are continually reminded that we are alive, breathing, and in this we can be content.

A Guided Breathing Exercise

Gently lengthen your spine up through the crown of your head, as if your spine just grew an inch or two longer. Draw a soft breath in through your nose and hold it for a moment. Then exhale slowly and allow your shoulders and abdomen to relax as you follow your breath all the way out. Take a deep breath in again, and exhale out through your mouth with a gentle sigh. Soften your face and relax your jaw. Allow your teeth to part slightly and your eyes to rest like big pools in their sockets. Let go. Watch the little pulse of movement in your belly as the body breathes on its own. Feel the breath entering your body and feel the breath leaving your body. Stay with your breath and notice the activity of your mind. Imagine that your awareness is a boat floating on these slow, steady waves of breath. Notice how fast your mind is going, and see the speedometer in your mind slowing down, gradually and smoothly, until it rests at 0 mph. You are here.

The Use of Essential Oils for a Powerful Reset

As we connect with the breath, we connect to the mind. When we connect with the mind, we begin to wake up. And we can experience this wave of aliveness wash over us making it a powerful reset as we enter into spring. To help guide this transition into a new season, Fruitful Yield carries various additions for your meditation and breathing practices.

Experimental studies have shown that plant oil vapor, often referred to as aromatherapy, can enhance the production of the brain’s own calming chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), while also boosting mood-regulating serotonin function. For example, rosemary and lemon oil can stimulate the mind while lavender and rose oil can be more sedative for the mind. You can find these essential oils at your local Fruitful Yield. Remember, you are capable of manifesting whatever you choose to focus on. Wherever your energy goes is what grows. Now let’s begin planting those seeds to flourish in spring! 

About the Author

Katie Sayad is a passionate wellness specialist based in the Chicago-land area. As a certified health and wellness coach and yoga teacher, what drives her in her work with the community is the desire for us to live as the healthiest and fullest expression of ourselves. We can simplify and de-clutter the busyness of our lives, to journey on a path to a more meaningful life.

Katie shares various tools, techniques, and practices to help others fall back in love, with themselves and with life, by connecting deeply within. She shares her knowledge and passion to the community within her health and wellness programs, yoga classes and workshops. You can learn more about Katie and her work at www.katiesayad.com.

Are you ready to quiet your mind and discover your truest self? You can schedule a private discovery call with Katie. The "Kickstart Your Health & Wellness Discovery" Call entails a private session with Katie. There, you'll go over a thorough health assessment and create an individualized action plan to clarify exactly where you are and where you need to go. You can book your complimentary 30-minute discovery call by searching: https://katiesayad.com/pages/discovery-call. Katie looks forward to holding space for you.