Reducing Stress During Stressful Times
by Barbara Longué
One of the most basic of human needs is safety and shelter. From eons ago, primitive man has struggled to feel safe.
When we’re faced with challenging issues like fire that threaten our very existence AND our homes it’s easy not to feel safe.
The biggest problem is that fear lack of safety can linger long after the actual threat is gone or can begin long before a threat is imminent. The body’s fight or flight mode was specifically designed to handle the actual emergency of the life-threatening situation.
But once the actual threat has passed, how do you turn it off and relax again.
That is the question.
One of the fastest methods for reducing that emotional stress once you are physically in a safe place and out of harm’s way and have your plans ready to handle any new threat, it’s time to let of the fear for a moment and breathe deeply again.
Learning to control your breath no matter what’s going on around is the fastest way to begin to calm the body and the mind.
The breath is one of the few things on this planet that you can actually control. So focus your awareness on controlling that. Long, slow, deep, powerful breaths to connect you to a place in your mind of total peace and calm and safety. Practice what it feels like to feel safe. Remember what it feels like to feel safe. Turn off for just a moment all of the muscles and all of the internal bells and whistles that keep going off. Imagine yourself turning off all of the noise, and focus exclusively on the breath.
Take at least 5 breaths like that and calm your body.
Calm your mind.
And when you’re ready, come back to right here and right now knowing that you can handle whatever you have to deal with in your daily life.
The more frequently you can take those conscious breaths to quiet the muscles in your body, the easier it gets.
I am offering free trauma support for any of the emergency workers or firefighters who deal with these issues every day!
Barbara can be reached at the Vortex Healing Centre support@vortexhealingcentre.com