Breathwork 4: Problem Solving
Dear Friend,
Breathwork is good for many things, but especially helpful when problem-solving.
Included here are two mindfulness and movement practices for you and your students to try. If you’d like to start with an inquiry about responsible decision-making, these questions can help:
- What is responsible decision-making?
- How do you feel in your body when making responsible choices and decisions?
- Can you recall decisions you have made that had negative consequences?
- What about decisions that required a lot of thought or were made impulsively?
- What feels different in your mind and your body when you do not show concern for the feelings of others while making decisions
Breathwork supports responsible-decision making, one of the SEL competencies, that helps students reflect on their role in promoting personal, family, and community well-being.
Breathwork Activity of the Week
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Take 2 minutes to improve your mind’s ability to focus and connect the right and left sides of your brain. Alternate nostril breathing also helps to regulate the nervous system and lower blood pressure.
- Sit with your spine tall, lifted up toward the sky.
- Place your dominant hand in front of your face, keeping it relaxed.
- Take a big breath in and close the right nostril with your thumb. Try not to close the nostril at the end of the nose, press higher up on the nose closer to the cartilage.
- Exhale out the left nostril.
- Take a big breath in through the left nostril then use the ring finger to compress the left nostril.
- Exhale out the right nostril.
- Inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left.
- Repeat for 4-6 rounds.
Movement Activity of the Week
Palm Tree – Chair Practice
Practice aligning your mind and your body.
