Floating to me is a state of mind where I feel effortlessly at ease with what is. It happens in those moment when I feel at home within in myself, when I don’t need to worry about the past or the future, when I can be present in this very moment, trusting that this moment will take me to the next and to the next and to the next. I don’t need to plan anything I can just follow my inner guidance system knowing that I will be at the right place at the right time. I am not sure if we can be in that state all day every day, but we can support ourselves to create this feeling of ease that makes it a lot easier to be floating through out our day.
One of my favorite hacks to experience a floating state is using my breath, especially when I feel stuck or my mind has gone into overdrive. I use a very simple breathing technique called Alternate Nostril Breathing.
Alternate Nostril Breathing has many benefits. My favorites are that is balances both hemispheres of your brain which supports you coming back into a neutral or even meditative state. It affects your nervous system and brings you from sympathetic, which is more of a stressed state of your body, into parasympathetic, a relaxed state. Plus, it also increases your focus.
When I practice Alternate Nostril Breathing it immediately brings me in the present moment and it get’s much easier for me to feel at ease with the situation I am in.
Another super simple hack I always do, when I feel overwhelmed and feel the need to clear my mind. I go for a walk! It sound’s so cliché but here’s the kicker. You can’t just go on that walk with your phone, staring at your screen or taking phone calls while doing a lunch walk. That won’t get you into floating. It has to be a real, almost walking meditation. No phone, no distractions, just you bringing awareness into your body, monitoring every step and staying fully present with YOU! 10 minutes is more then enough to get into floating again.
And last but not least, I love putting moving and breathing together. I feel stuck, I sit down and do some Torso Twists. The rapid movements helps me to almost shake everything out of my body that I feel does not belong there. The breath helps me staying present and it’s a bit more of an active movement that get’s everything out and then once I become quiet, I feel like I can float again.
