Did you ever have the experience in a class where you were learning something new and the teacher spent all his or her time on theory and was left with only 5 minutes to tell you "how to?"

The last 6 months of columns have been dedicated to helping you understand why self-care is so important — the theory, if you will. The columns have asked you to analyze your life from many different angles, looking to see which parts of your life help lead you to balance and which ones knock you off kilter. Other columns have sought to help you understand why feeling stress and tension is hard on you body, beyond just the general "it is no fun."

So, now you know what areas of your life need help and what can happen to your body if you don't give it that help. Knowledge is good; however, let's take the next step and do something about it. This month's column is the beginning of a series of articles designed to show you "How To…"

The Breath

The most basic mind-body technique is learning to control your breath. Breathing is one of those involuntary actions we can't live without. Many of take our breath for granted and find it hard to believe that something so simple could have such a powerful effect. But, take a moment and think about your breathing. What happens when you are sleeping? Your breaths are slower, deeper and longer. What happens when you are in a near miss accident in the parking lot of the grocery store? Your breaths get shorter and faster and you may feel like you aren't getting any air.

A Brick in the Foundation: Intellectual Health

Finding Your Balance Point

How To - Muscle Relaxation

Our breathing patterns are cues for our bodies. Our bodies are smart — they see that we are breathing shorter and shallower, which must mean that we are stressed, so the body kicks in the stress response even more, which continues the shallow breathing, and on and on. Or, if the body senses long, slow, deep breaths, it realizes that you are at peace and lets everything else slow down.

Since the body is "listening" for cues about how we are feeling, we can use that to our advantage. Purposefully slowing down the breath can help us "teach" our bodies how to slow down and wash away tension whenever we need a break.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

When you take longer, slower breaths, you are practicing diaphragmatic breathing. When you take a deep breath, concentrate on filling your lungs as deeply as you can. As your lungs fill up, you will start to feel your belly begin to rise. This is diaphragmatic breathing. This type of breathing helps to balance out the systems of your body, brings you more oxygen and lowers your heart rate and blood pressure. You may find that it is difficult initially to have this type of breath — but keep practicing. With time, it will become second nature.

As you become more comfortable with your deep breathing, try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.

I'm Breathing — Now What?

Once you have mastered the deep breath, you can do a lot with it. There are books, several inches thick, on breathing techniques. Let's start with just a few:

• Close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths. Each time you breathe out, imagine that you are blowing away the cares and concerns of the day. Each time you breathe in, imagine that you are filling your lungs with peaceful energy.
• Just start to pay attention to your breathing. Begin to watch the pattern of your breath. Notice that as you breathe in, the air comes into your throat, your chest expands, then your belly expands. Then, as you breathe out, your belly falls, your chest falls, and the air comes out your mouth.
• As you are breathing in, think to yourself "I am breathing in" and as you breathe out, think to yourself "I am breathing out."
• As you breathe in, breathe in for a count of 3 and out for a count of 6.
• Count your breaths.
• Do a release breath: Breathe in for a count of 4, hold for 8, then out for 7. With this pattern, imagine that you are blowing out whatever concern you have.

Play around with each of the techniques and see what feels best. As simple as they sound, they do take practice. Much of the practice is to begin to be able to shut out the thoughts that will try to compete with your practice. As best as you can, try to let those thoughts leave when you notice that you are thinking them.

Set a goal for trying these patterns for 20 minutes a day. As you practice them, your body will get more and more used to the feeling that goes along with practicing them. Once that relaxed feeling becomes second nature, you will be able use a technique when you are in the middle of a stressful situation and your body will begin to feel calmer and more focused.

One word of caution: if you are not used to breathing deeply, you may find yourself becoming light-headed. If this happens, just return to your regular breath until the feeling passes. If you have any questions about these techniques, you can reach me at www.Jennifer@AnjiOnline.com.