The Creative Power of Breath Breath Tools for CPS CPSI | June 15th - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Creative Power of Breath Breath Tools for CPS CPSI | June 15th 2020

Practice 1: REFRESH Spinal Breath

Today’s Objectives Understand how our breathing and nervous system affects our state and creativity ● Learn 3 breath-based techniques to enhance your creativity ● Identify how to apply this knowledge to the CPS process ●

About Mallory Former Deloitte consultant and Deloitte Greenhouse ● facilitator Teacher of Himalayan kriya yoga tradition (RYT 500, ● Sattva Yoga Academy) Intensive study of the science behind breath and ● meditation practices (Nalanda Institute) Founder of Breath Connection, using the power of the ● human breath to transform individuals and organizations

STATE the particular condition that someone is in at a specific time, includes physical, emotional, psychological, physiological etc.

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) PARASYMPATHETIC SYMPATHETIC “Rest and Digest” “Fight or Flight” Relaxation response ● Stress response (gas pedal) ● (brake) Release of adrenaline and ● Breath and heart rate ● cortisol slow down Breath and heart rate ● Pupils contract ● quicken Muscles relax ● Pupils dilate ● Activity in PFC increases ● Muscles tense ● Activity in pre-frontal ● cortex (PFC) decreases

The Vagus Nerve Largest nerve in the body and core of ANS ● The health of the vagus nerve (vagal tone) is a key ● factor in stress recovery and emotional regulation The vagus nerve communicates between brain and ● other organs Every state has an associated breath pattern - ● changing our breath patterns changes our state

Changing the way we breathe changes our state!

Practice 2: CALM 4-8 Breath + Breath Awareness

Breath Tools for CPS Facilitators Different breath and meditation techniques have different effects on our nervous ● system, brain and state Breath practices can be used intentionally to create specific states, to support different ● moments in the CPS process In general: Slower breaths and longer exhales are calming - parasympathetic response ● Faster breaths, inhales and internal retention are energizing - sympathetic response ● Breath retention can be challenging ●

How and when might these breath practices fit into a CPS session?

Breath Tools for CPS DIVERGENT THINKING CONVERGENT THINKING Access a state of flow Be focused and attentive ● ● Release judgement Engage logic and analytical skills ● ● Support with: Support with: Open Monitoring or Mindfulness Focused Attention meditation ● ● meditation practices practices Calming breath practices Energizing breath practices ● ● Only facilitate breath and meditation exercises that you practice consistently yourself!

Practice 3: ENERGIZE 3-Part Energizing Breath

Reflections

Action: Choose one breath technique and practice every day for 5 minutes

Thank you! Mallory Combemale www.breathconnection.co mallorycombemale@gmail.com @breath_connection