Stretch

Eyes open.  Out of bed. Feet on floor. Unfold my spine. Deep breath in.  As I inhale, reaching my arms in a wide semi circle until they meet, above my head.  Placing my palms together, I look up, leting go in my shoulders, not letting them creep up around my ears.  My feet rooted on the floor, my legs strong, I look up pushing out through my fingertips.  I feel the stretch run through my body.  I feel muscles uncurl.  I feel space take shape in my mind.

Stretching is an essential part of my day.  As I write, I sit up straight in my chair.  I raise my arms to shoulder height.  I push out through my fingers.  I feel my shoulders loosen.  The tightness from typing in my hands and wrists eases.  I breathe.  Long deep breaths from my diaphrym.  In Out.  IN - 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 OUT - 1 - 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10.  I turn my palm up on the left and then the right, I twist my arms backwards.  All the while breathing.

 In Out.  IN - 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 OUT - 1 - 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. 

Longer on the exhale than inhale.  IN OUT.

Why don't you try these two really simple stretches and breathing exercises today?

I am linking up with Lisa Jo and the Five Minute Friday Community.  I hope you will join us here.

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt & Sparkle = Life Remarkable

a life lesson that I learnt from swimming

I was a water baby. Some of my earliest memories are of swimming in the sea, and in the pool with my mum.

Teaching me to swim, and giving me the opportunities to learn with a coach, is possibly one of the many great blessings Mum has given me. I will never stop being thankful to her for so many things, but swimming is top of my list today.

Thank you Mum!Ll,'

I have always been able go lose myself in the pool. My body swimming, moving in sync, with my breath, one stroke after another, as I crawl up and down the pool. I find swimming deeply meditative. Even when I am ploughing through the water at a pace, the forced breathing and continuous moment takes thought to get right, and swim at a maximum pace.

I swim seven strokes to the breath.

Stroke one, two, three, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the right - stroke one, two, threes, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the left, Stroke one, two, three, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the right - stroke one, two, threes, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the left, Stroke one, two, three, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the right - stroke one, two, threes, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the left, Stroke one, two, three, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the right - stroke one, two, threes, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the left, Stroke one, two, three, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the right - stroke one, two, threes, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the left, Stroke one, two, three, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the right - stroke one, two, threes, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the left

My focus when swimming is always my breathing. Stroke one, two, three, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the right - stroke one, two, threes, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the left. Each breath a divine gift, the ability to exhale, another.

The secret to swimming is learning to exhale under water. When I first began swimming, I was good at holding my breathe. I'd gasp the air in, swimming hard, then when my lungs where about to pop, I'd gasp more air in, and continue in this vein for length upon length of the pool

The secret to swimming is the exhale. Blowing that air out into the water, while the face is underwater. Then turning the head to the side, taking another breath and counting out the strokes to the breath, as you exhale.
Stroke one, two, three, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the right - stroke one, two, threes, four, five, six, seven - breathe to the left, etc etc etc

The life secret I have learnt from swimming- learning to breath properly - which means exhaling!

Just now right were you are take a breath in then exhale, slowly and with control.

EXHALE
Exhale exhale exhale

To be continued.

Let me know how your exhale goes.

That's it for now

Nics
Salt and sparkle  = Life Remarkable
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Breathe - 17

I am going crazy for tulips right now.  Everything about them makes me smile, and brings a warmness to my heart.

What is it about the colour of Spring that makes you smile?

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable

Breathe - 15

Breathe 2012

Breathe - 14

After a weekend of remembering and for many revisiting pain from the past, I wanted to offer a space on Salt and Sparkle today to breathe, and catch your breathe.

That's it for now...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable

Lavender - Breathe 13

The scent of Lavender will always be my favourite fragrance.  I love its fresh sweetness, and how it soothes the most frayed of nerves.  I nearly always have a bottle of Lavender essential oil in my bar.  Look at the picture today, find your space, and breathe, imagine the heady scent of lavender feels, and that feeling of calmness surrounding you.

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable