Just about everyone enjoys the natural high they get from being out in nature and breathing in fresh air—whether surfing, skiing, hiking, or just taking a leisurely stroll. But when we don’t have the opportunity to get outside, we can turn to some of yoga’s more introspective techniques for an uplifting natural high.
Yoga breathing and meditation, especially when practiced together, make us feel vibrant and alive, yet calm, relaxed, and peaceful at the same time. How does it work? Focusing on our breath activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping us let go of the stress we experience in our daily lives and returning us to our natural state of calm. The moment we begin to observe our breath, it naturally begins to slow down and deepen. We can enhance this process with yoga breathing techniques—consciously slowing and lengthening the breath (always within our comfort range of course—never gasping for breath). This takes some mental focus, which can be challenging since the mind is always jumping from one thing to another.
This is where adding Yoga Sound Meditation to the breath can be so helpful. By using sound as a focal point for our meditation and our breath, it becomes easier to keep the mind focused. We think of the sound on the inhalation, then listen to it with our ears on the exhalation. We can also focus on its vibration in our mouth and throughout the body, which helps keep the mind from wandering. What’s more, the sounds themselves have a spiritual potency that goes beyond simply calming the mind and relaxing the body. While yoga breathing and a controlled mind are calming and enlivening, when combined with Yoga Sound Meditation, we get a natural high that makes our hearts feel happy.
I invite you to experience this for yourself by practicing with me here: Yoga Sound Meditation with Breathing
