relaxation Archives - Custom Calm

Body Awareness Lowers Stress & Pain

Posted by Ellen Sichel on June 27, 2011

Body awareness helps to bring you back to the present moment. Among the numerous benefits are- physical and emotional relaxation, decrease in pain, lower stress, calming to the nervous system.

The body scan It is quite effective to use at night when you cannot sleep.

Try this short Body Scan: If you cannot feel any part of your body, imagine the specific area. Let go of judgment and simply notice and breathe naturally into each area.

Notice your toes and the spaces between your toes.
Notice your feet including your arches, tops of your feet and heels.
Notice your lower legs, knees and knee creases and thighs.
Notice your hips and across your pelvis.
Notice your belly and the rise and fall of your belly.
Notice your chest, across your shoulder and collar bones.
Notice your back, including your shoulder blades, ribs and the entire back.
Notice your hands, including your fingers, tops and palms of your hands.
Notice your arms up through your underarms and shoulders.
Notice your neck, including your throat.
Notice your face, including your eyes, nose mouth and around to your ears.
Notice your head, including the top sides and back of your head.
Now notice and breathe throughout your entire body, from your feet through your head for a few moments.

Let me know in the comments below how this went. What effect did it have on you? If you could not do it, what do you think happened?

Tags: body awareness, breathe, calm nervous system, calming, decrease pain, lower stress, relaxation

Posted in: Technique of the Week

Lynn Suffered from Chronic Back Pain and Poor Posture

Posted by Ellen Sichel on May 4, 2011

Lynn’s Challenge

I lived with chronic pain. My right hip was frozen and it hurt all day long. I have a sway back and my low back would lock up at times. My shoulders rolled forward, my belly protruded and my overall posture was terrible.

What Lynn Tried

I tried many different practices including yoga in the past. Also, I go for deep massage, which does help, but I was still in pain.

What Worked

Step by step, over time with the practice of Custom Calm yoga, my hip began to open up and as a result, others areas of my body opened and straightened up as well.

The yoga quieted my mind and relaxed my body. I think the support has been the key to my body and my mind finally relaxing and accepting joy and ease.

The Yoga Therapy totally melted the tension in my hip muscles so much so that whenever we began a session, the muscle remembered the treatment and would soften to Ellen's touch.

Over time, my yoga practice has become a central part of my life, opening me up to real happiness and contentment. The daily practice has slowed and relaxed my mind and my body resulting in a “being comfortable in my own skin” feeling that stays with me all day. I have come to know a depth to my Self that I did not know existed and was afraid to experience.

My posture has changed, the chronic pains have subsided, I breathe more fully, my state of mind is calm, and life is full of joy. The yoga and the yoga therapy have brought me internal peace in an ever-changing, fragile world. And the deeper I go, the better it gets.

What you can learn from Lynn’s Experiences

Lynn was motivated by pain to explore other avenues. Lynn embraced the practices and committed to home practice, which expedited her healing. When Lynn's body became more open and relaxed, it resulted in physical, mental, emotional and spiritual changes as well. It is all connected. At times yoga is not enough and Lynn was able to work individually through yoga therapy to speed up her process of healing. Lynn’s experiences show the life changing power of consistent practice Custom Calm techniques.

Tags: calm mind, chronic pain, fear, hip pain, increased breath, poor posture, relaxation, supported yoga, yoga threapy

Posted in: This Stuff Works

6 Benefits of Breath: Part 1-Your Mind

Posted by Ellen Sichel on April 8, 2011

Breath has a tremendous impact on your mental and emotional well-being. Something as simple as breathing has powerful results.

Check out the facts below.

Breathing brings you back to the moment, lowering anxiety and fear.
Breathing stimulates the relaxation response, calming your body and mind.
Breathing is free and portable and can be used in the very moment when facing stress.
The root of “breath” in many languages is “spirit”, thus breathing is a key to accessing your calm center, increasing spiritual connection.
Breathing creates a deeply restorative state, which aids in healing and transformation.
Breathing is a simple, effective tool for meditation.

Are you ready to start breathing consciously to lower your stress level?

Tags: Breathing, calm canter, healing, living in the moment, meditation, relaxation, restorative state, spiritual connection, well-beiong

Posted in: A Calm Perspective