Positive Heath: Sharks and Starfish

In Autahi, we often talk about how different emotions affect our brains. When we get angry, upset or a bit too excited, some mindful breathing helps us move from our 'feeling brains' back into our 'thinking brains'.

Watch the video Just Breathe for more on how this works.



Here are a couple of the breathing techniques we use in Autahi.

Shark Fin Breaths 

You don't need gills to breath like a shark! Sit or stand comfortably. Hold your hand up, side on, with your thumb resting against your forehead (this is your 'shark fin'). Then, move your hand slowly down your face, in front of your nose, to your chin. Gently breathe out as you do so. Now, as you slowly breathe in, gradually slide your hand up again. Repeat five times.

Starfish Breathing 

Sit or stand comfortably. Make a starfish with one out-stretched hand. Slowly run the index finger of the other hand from your wrist to the tip of your thumb. Breathe in as you do so. Then let your finger run down the other side to the base of your thumb. Breathe out as you do this. Now repeat with each finger in turn, taking your time, focussing on your breath.

Give them a try and let us know what you think. If you have any other mindfulness techniques that work for you, we'd love to hear about them, too.