As you breathe in, imagine the grounded and nourishing energy of the earth, mountains, trees, plants, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and herbs coming up into your body. As you hold your breath, visualize the breath spiraling up the center of your body (through the seven chakras) and pulling any energy or thought that does not serve you. Then as you exhale over 8 seconds, imagine that excess energy releasing out of the mouth, and visualize light pouring through the top of your head back down to your feet and the earth below you. As you are inhaling, imagine the earth element of the north rising up and nourishing the physical body. As you hold your breath, imagine the breath swooping through the mind like the wind element of the east, clearing out any thoughts that do not serve and keeping the thoughts that do serve you. As you exhale out of the mouth, imagine the fire element of the south that resides in the center and heart of our body, burning any thoughts and feelings in our emotional heart and belly to release through the mouth (traditional box breath exhales out of the nose, but I like to exhale out of the mouth to incorporate the heart energy). As you hold your breath for the last 4 seconds, ask the loving higher self, the gentle feminine water element of the west, to come into your presence and be with and guide you through the waves of your life. The best way to know which technique is right for you is to first identify what you are struggling with and what you are seeking. These are suggestions, but as with any healing modality, it is best to experiment with each form to see which one feels most aligned with where you are. Remember, your breath is your inherent healer and guide inside of you. Gwen integrates 17 years of pharmaceutical, biotech, and device consulting, management, and auditing, as well as 12 years of experience in trauma healing, sobriety, wellness, breathwork, and soul medicine. She draws upon her intuitive gifts and her own personal healing journey from disease to well-being, addiction to sobriety, corporate to entrepreneurship, singlehood to being a mother of two, and marriage to divorce. In addition to coaching virtual and in-person executive, corporate, and individual clients, Gwen offers group coaching and online courses and is available for public speaking engagements. Gwen specializes in helping high-achievers use life lessons as their greatest spiritual opportunities. You can listen to Gwen coach clients on a myriad of business and life challenges in her podcast, The Beautiful Grit. Her coaching tips and tools have also been featured in Well & Good, and is a member of the Forbes Coach Council.
