Sometimes we’re just in survival mode.

Moments of intense pain, trauma, chaos. It’s just survival mode. There’s not going to be peace; we’re just trying to get through it.

What we may be able to do in these moments is minimize the suffering.

Working with the breath is a great way to do this, since soft, relaxed breathing is directly related to a more settled nervous system.

When you find yourself in these moments, place your right hand on your heart and your left hand on your belly. Feel the beating of your heart, and feel the movement of your breath. There is still more right with you than wrong with you. Feel the connection between your beating heart and expanding lungs. Let the abdomen soften, and feel as though you’re breathing up through your pelvis.

Allow the belly to be easy, feel the movement of the breath, and let the tension in the body settle.

Do this until you start to feel more grounded in the chaos.