April is Stress Awareness month and everyone needs a good stress reducing exercise that takes just a few minutes and affords your Autonomic Nervous System a little break. Over the next three months, we will have one stress reduction activity for you to try at home. Your body and brain will thank you for this!
This exercise helps the amygdala to stay small and inactive while you are opening your mind to be close to God and involve your senses into a calming state. I call this a “Brain Soak.” The exercise takes six (6) minutes to perform by using some free apps on your phone. Be sure to do this in the AM before you start your day. You can download the Insight Timer (free) app if you want a meditative way to start and finish in six (6) minutes. Follow each step in order and allow the stress reduction your brain and body needs.
1) Look at the “Verse of the Day” Scripture verse (YouVersion Bible app). A new Scripture verse is given daily.
2) Find a Tim Janis (YouTube) video and start the music on a low volume.
3) Read the “Verse of the Day” Scripture verse out loud to yourself.
4) Re-read the Scripture out loud but make sure you are looking for a word or a short phrase that is rising up in your heart from the Scripture verse. (Make sure a phrase doesn’t have more than 3-4 words).
5) Start tapping your feet in a slow rhythm. Right foot then left foot. (This is Bilateral Stimulation).
6) Take slow breaths inhaling through the nose for four (4) seconds and exhaling slow out of the mouth for seven (7) seconds. This is deep diaphragmatic breathing. The slower the exhale the better the brain and body feel.
7) Get in a rhythm of tapping and breathing for a few seconds. Slow and easy.
8) Then, take your short word or phrase from your Scripture verse before you exhale. So, for example, inhale for four (4) seconds. Say your word or phrase and then slowly exhale for 7 seconds. Repeat.
9) To get a good “Brain Soak” and slow down your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), you need to do Step 8 for about six (6) minutes with Bilateral Stimulation (BLS), Tim Janis music and repeating the Scripture word or phrase over and over as you take deep diaphragmatic breaths.
***If you start to wander in your thoughts, use the Tim Janis music to draw you back to the exercise by listening to one instrument or nature sound to soothe your mind and body. Enjoy!
