Basic exercises before gratitude practice

 Basic exercises before gratitude practice

1. Breathing exercises

In gratitude practice, breathing practice is the most important basic practice. Breathing practice is the practice of breathing deeply, gently, and slowly into the lower abdomen and exhaling. As you consciously inhale, feel the oxygen and energy filling up your body. When you exhale, feel the stagnant old energy and turbid dregs in your body leaving.

As you inhale and exhale deeply, feel the tense areas relax. Practice deep breathing and relax your mind.

Breathing gives the mind a moment of rest. Breathing lets the body release tension. When breathing becomes deeper, oxygen is supplied sufficiently, and the cells become alive. To transition into a pleasant state of gratitude, you need to breathe deeply to let go of old energy and fill up with new energy.

Breathing is the best way to move energy. Breathing brings life to the body. Listen to soothing music that calms your mind, and breathe deeply, gently, and slowly, inhaling and exhaling from your lower abdomen. If your posture is not right, deep breathing is difficult. Sit or stand up straight and breathe deeply. If your head is clear, your shoulders are light, and you feel energized, you are practicing well. If your chest feels tight and your head feels heavy, you are breathing incorrectly. When you are anxious and tense, the center of your breathing rises, making your breathing short and weak. When you are relaxed, the center of your breathing goes down, making your breathing comfortable and long. Deep breathing practice is a must before practicing gratitude.

Once you have mastered basic breathing exercises, you can then practice breathing techniques that trigger gratitude energy and breathing techniques that infuse energy into your future vision. Only by breathing deeply can you move from gratitude practice to creative practice. Breathing exercises must be repeated every day and mastered.

2. Relaxation exercises

If your body is stiff and tense, you cannot properly feel gratitude. Let's practice relaxing tense areas and entering a safe space.

You can open your eyes or close them halfway. It is easier to concentrate if you are practicing for the first time with your eyes closed. Feel the pressure of the part that touches the floor and ground yourself. You should feel the tension and relaxation of each part of your body for enough time. Breathe deeply and inhale and exhale. Relax each part of your body, starting from your head and going down to your feet. Consciously relax while inhaling and exhaling. After relaxing each part from your scalp to your toes, relax your entire body.

♣ The sequence of relaxing the body

Scalp → brain → forehead → eyebrows/pupils → nose → mouth/tongue → chin/cheeks → neck/back of neck → shoulders → upper arms → lower arms → wrists → palms → fingers → shoulders → chest (lungs, heart) → upper abdomen (spleen, liver and gallbladder) → lower abdomen (large and small intestines, kidneys, bladder, uterus) → back → waist → hips/hip joints → thighs → knees → calves → ankles → soles of feet → toes → entire body

After relaxing each part of your body and your entire body in turn, enter the safe space of silence. As you inhale and exhale, feel your entire body completely relaxed and light as a sheet of paper. Inhale and exhale again, relax your body to the point where you can barely feel it. 

Finally, as you inhale and exhale, feel your body completely disappear and only your consciousness clearly exists. Rest sufficiently in the quiet space of silence where only your consciousness exists. After resting in the safe space for a few minutes, slowly move your fingers and toes. Open and close your eyes. Gradually feel your body and return to the present consciousness.

For reference, the eyes, jaw, neck, shoulders, diaphragm, and lower back are areas that are prone to tension, so it is recommended to relax them repeatedly.