- Take a second to intentionally pause, wherever you are. You might be coming into this practice with uncomfortable sensations, emotions, or thoughts, and I'm here to remind you that this is okay. This is a nervous system response - and we can maybe thank our nervous system for trying to protect us, and just spend the next few minutes being curious about trying something new.
- Bring your hands to your belly or diaphragm.
- Take a deep breath into your lower abdomen, allowing your belly to puff out.
- As you exhale, slowly say the word “voo”, letting the sound come from deep in the belly and out.
- Experiment with how you want the sound to come out. Does it feel more comforting to let the sound gently and softly come out in a steady “voooo”, or in this moment does it feel better to push the sound out with some energy, really moving your teeth, jaw and eyes and strengthening your vocal tone as you make the sound, almost becoming a vooo-ahh sound?
- Once you find what works for you, repeat for 1-2 mins.
- Once you’ve finished, notice if anything is different from just a few moments ago. Are there any shifts, however tiny or subtle, in how your body feels? See if you can put words to what you notice, always remembering that whatever comes up is okay.
( i ) This sound and breath technique sends a signal along the vagus nerve that activates the parasympathetic nervous system - bringing us out of a danger response and into the green zone.
Changing the way we make the "voo" sound can also support different needs - if we are feeling agitated and as though we need to discharge some of that active energy from the nervous system it might feel better to push that sound out with more energy and strength. In other instances if we are feeling more anxious or vulnerable it might feel more supportive to let the sound out in a soft and gentle way. Both techniques can be effective - it is all about working with our individual preferences and needs.