Breathwork and Gut Health
One of the most powerful ways we can calm our gut is through breathing. I love using this guided meditation exercise as it truly helps us transform into that parasympathetic state, that “rest and digest state”.
Gut-directed breathwork is an incredible tool, proven to cleanse and detoxify that body, sending the nervous system into a mode of security and helping us actually DIGEST BETTER. This is conscious connected breathwork. It is breathing that specifically enables us to get into a more relaxed state for the mind, body and soul.
Breathwork for the Solar Plexus
In this guided meditation and breathwork exercise, we're focusing on our solar plexus chakra. This exercise not only calms your gut but also enhances creativity, making it an essential practice for overall well-being. The solar plexus is located at the center of the abdomen: it is responsible for the esophagus, stomach, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, liver, gallbladder and small intestines.
This is essential for how we process and eliminate toxins, how our body cleanses and digests. It's also the seat of creativity and allows us to channel in more creativity by bringing attention and awareness to this area.
Try this Easy Belly Breathing Exercise!
Below are easy breathwork steps to help improve your digestion and gut health, calm your nervous system and feel more cheerful! You can do this in a relaxed, comfortable position either sitting on a chair or on the ground.
If you're feeling some current digestive discomfort, you can totally practice this lying down too if that's more comfortable. The idea is that you're in a relaxed state where your posture is strong and blood is able to circulate easily.
Gut Health Meditation: Belly Breathing Exercise Step 1
Imagine a beautiful golden ball of light at your solar plexus, the center of creativity in the middle of your abdomen. Imagine it pulsing and glowing in and out.
Gut Health Meditation: Belly Breathing Exercise Step 2
Now let's start the breathing exercise. Take a deep, spacious inhale and feel your belly expanding out. Inhale for 4 seconds, lifting the golden ball of light up to the top of your head.
Gut Health Meditation: Belly Breathing Exercise Step 3
Hold your breath for 2 seconds and imagine the ball of light circling over your head like a halo.
Gut Health Meditation: Belly Breathing Exercise Step 4
Exhale a full breath out for 8 seconds, carrying this golden ball of light back down towards the center of your abdomen. It's powerful to exhale for a longer, more sustained time than the inhale because this helps us more easily go into that rest-and-digest state.
Gut Health Meditation: Belly Breathing Exercise Step 5
Let the golden ball of light pulse there, holding for 2 seconds.
Gut Health Meditation: Belly Breathing Exercise Step 6
Repeat this process again, tracing the golden ball of light up and down from your gut to the top of your head with your inhales and your exhales.
Reflect on how you feel from this easy, belly breathing exercise
Reflect: wow do you feel after this breathing exercise? Do you feel any difference in your body? With your gut health? Would you like to take a couple more deep breaths?
Congrats on Nurturing Yourself!
If you're new to meditation, this is a very easy and simple technique that you can do for even one minute and you will feel a noticeable difference. With more practice, you can sustain for even longer.
