Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
By Dr Greg Smith, Exisle Publishing, $34.99.
How often do we think of harnessing the power of breathing? Now you can learn how-to as you get set to reset your mind, improve your energy and enhance your health.
Think about it. How often has someone said the word — breathe — to you when you’ve been anxious or perhaps short of breath? The breath forms an incredibly powerful mind-body connection.
Dr Smith, a psychologist with more than 35 years experience, calls it our “most under-rated superpower”. Furthermore, he says, we can harness that power to our advantage.
Powerful Breathing is a practical, user-friendly manual for simple breathing skills that can increate states you do want such as feeling calmer, stronger, more energised or inspired and rapidly reduce states you don’t want, such as stress, anxiety or depression
The chapters draw upon Smith’s experience as a therapist and yoga teacher to explore the ways the breath can be used as a mind-body link. Outlined are a number of simple practices that can be “helpful for a range of purposes in everyday life, from managing stress, promoting health and healing, enhancing performance in different areas, or inviting a sense of inspiration”.
For anyone suffering from anxiety, feeling calmer can happen in a breath or two. For anyone wanting to boost performance, the right breathing skills will help them to get into ‘the zone’. Breathing skills are also taught for longer-term health and healing.
The breath is a simple and powerful tool for changing modes. Different styles of breathing are linked to different moods and mental states, as well as to calming down or pumping up.
Adelaide-based Smith uses practical examples and case studies to show you how to access the power of breathing with control and purpose informed by the latest discoveries from psychology and neuroscience.
