How to make space when you feel compressed

I don't know about you, but for me, time is starting to feel compressed. Like there's a lot to fit into a 24 hour period or a seven-day week. And when I start to feel that compression, what I've realized is that what I need is inner spaciousness.  

To get this feeling of inner spaciousness, start by doing all you can do about the outer world, like removing things from the calendar or reducing commitments as much as possible.  From there, try these things:

• Be only where you are.  Try not to look ahead where everything is coming at you.  Be right where you are, and bring your attention to your body, your breath, and your surroundings.  That future stuff isn’t here yet. Just be here.

• Practice inversions.  Flip your perspective, increase blood flow to the brain, and drain the lymphatic system to gain some clarity and reduce fatigue.  It’s as simple as lying on your back with legs up the wall.  Take time to do this and realize there is some space in your day as well.

• Practice ratio breathing.  I recently taught a challenging but beneficial ratio breath to my Hatha students.  I uploaded the video, which inspired this blog, to my YouTube channel for you to try. Counting the breath may be awkward at first, but as you practice you’ll stretch your breathing capacity which helps keep the nervous system calm.

One more wonderful tool for creating inner spaciousness that I’ve been talking about a lot these days is walking a labyrinth.  In my experience, labyrinths bend time just like the curves and bends of its winding path.  The rushing energy that feels like time compressed opens up as I find it hard to rush through to get to the end, which just sends me right back out again. If this practice interests you, the next opportunity of Walking With Divine Feminine: A Yoga and Labyrinth Experience is Saturday, April 9 from 9am-2pm. I hope you join us!

Another way to create space is to reduce stress through movement, breath, and meditation in 20 minute practices.  Purchase and keep these 8 practices to get you going in the morning and settled in the evening: AM/PM: Yoga Practices to Start and End Your Day.

These tools take a little time, but you will be taking time for yourself to create some inner space. And I hope you'll feel your system shift into a deeper sense of ease, balance, and harmony.

Much love,

Jess