Autumn / Lung Tip #4: Breathe

Autumn / Lung Tip 4: Breathe

As we’ve been learning, autumn is the season of the Lung.  Our lungs breathe for us whether we’re paying attention to them or not, but if we want to keep them healthy we need to breathe with them more consciously. 

In Chinese Medicine our Lungs are our connection to inspiration — not just biologically, but also spiritually.  Through the exhale, the Lung becomes a vehicle for our letting go — letting go of what once may have inspired us, but doesn’t any longer.  Again, like all organs in Chinese Medicine, the actions of the Lung happen on a biological and also a mental, emotional, and spiritual level.  Conscious breathing supports the Lung on every level.

Give yourself the gift of intentional breathing throughout your day.  If you have trouble remembering, stick a post-it on your bathroom mirror or your coffee maker or your dashboard, or set an alarm on your phone.  When you meet your reminder, close your eyes (if you can) and take 5 long, slow deep breaths.  Once you begin this practice, you’ll find you have many small windows throughout your day to breathe and calm your nervous system while also supporting your Lung — so many wins.

Breathe deeply into your belly, inhaling through your nose, and exhaling fully through your mouth.  Play without how it feels to both inhale and exhale through your nose instead. Play with making the exhale longer than the inhale, forcing air out at the end.  Play with actively expanding through your chest and shoulders as you inhale. Play with making sound, giving your body permission to make any noise it wants to as you exhale.  Breathe and play.

Breathe and play! Let me know how it goes.

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