There are days when I can wake up already feeling left behind. It is a very unpleasant feeling. Rushed, anxious, slightly nervous for no apparent reason, it is as though the stress fairy visited me right before I woke up. I would think all of the stress training I receive in my meditation training would grant me immunity to this feeling. It doesn't.
Through the years I have collected some easy stress relief techniques that can reduce stress in about 60 seconds. Some of these stress relief techniques are meditation inspired. Other stress management ideas have become from reading about and applying things that work for other people.
I have learned after all this stress training that there are some particular techniques that lower stress levels for me in about 60 seconds. Exclaiming a loud sound followed by a few deep breaths will ease anxiety every time. The effectiveness of this method is surprising. I am always hesitant and usually uncomfortable whenever a workshop group I am attending wants to do some sort of singing, chanting, or anything else that involves something vocal.It was confusing because I am anything but shy.
A breakthrough on realizing the power of a few loud chants or ohms came after a week at the Monroe Institute. Part of their process involves resonant tuning. Resonant tuning means that you are using sound vibration energy to raise your overall energy. This raised energy level increases the effectiveness of anything you are attempting to do.
For the Monroe Institute’s purposes, it was about exploring human consciousness. I have found that resonant tuning, or in layman’s turns “loud sounds followed by breathing”, can be applied to relieving stress as well.
The process is simple and clear.There are two requirements. You will want to be in a place where The process is straight-forward and simple.There are two requirements.You will either need to be in a solitary place or not mind if other people hear you. The second is that you are willing to really apply some intensity to the few exhales where you are emitting some noise.
When you have your stress training location, get comfortable.Shut your eyes to remove outside distractions.Center yourself with a few deep breaths. Now take a deep, full exhale. A full exhale is when you let your body complete the exhale rather than over-riding your breathing consciously and cutting it short. Then allow a long deep inhale. Not like you are trying to hold your breath. Take a breath that expands your belly and raises your chest. It is time to let out some noise.
The first time you perform this stress relief exercise, experiment with which sound works for you. The most important element of your noise is that you give it attention, intention, and effort. When I let some noise out, it causes my dog to look at me nervously.
These are a few of the noises you can let loose with:
1. Ohmmmmmm
2. Ahhhhh-ooooooo-mmmmmmmmm
3. Eeeeeeee-iiiiiiiiiiiiiii-oooooooooooo-mmmmmmmmmmmm
4. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
5. Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
As you can tell, there is a very low degree of difficulty. You can also try having your mouth closed so it creates a vibratory effect in the back of your throat and into your jawbone. I start off my favorite sound vibration with my mouth letting out a loud and weird "ahhh". Then I turn it into an “oooohhhh”. It ends with “mmmm”, and my mouth close near the end. So the whole thing looks like “ahhhhhhhooooooooohhhhhmmmmmmmmmm”.
Do your sound-making of choice for 3-10 inhale/exhale cycles. Then just breath in and out without making the noise.Feel more at ease? I always do.
Stress training does not have to be rocket science.Many things in life get over-complicated for no good reason. This breath and sound exercise will help you reduce stress immediately.
