Postpartum Anxiety and Box Breathing
Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.
I’ve never identified with having anxiety until I pushed a human out of my vagina. Postpartum anxiety is real. Not to mention the global pandemic that descended upon us just 4 months after a human left my body (and how that pandemic is still happening even as my baby is about to turn two).
More often times than not I find myself with a clenched jaw and a racing heart. My eyes are wide, darting around assessing all possible situations, real and imaginary. BREATHE. Sometimes that’s the only word I can grasp onto. It’s a real fucking practice but yoga, the ancient wisdom stream that is rooted in union and liberation, is what pulls me out of those spiraling moments.
My physical yoga practice is pretty nonexistent these days yet my anxiety has been the greatest reminder for me that yoga is so much further beyond the physical. So in my anxious spiral, I cling to the reminder to BREATHE. I close my eyes and do a box breathing technique. That small yet deep practice of yoga reunites me with the present moment and liberates me from the hold of anxiety.
The graphic below from Sugar & Sloth is a great and adorable visual breakdown. Take your yoga off your mat and into your life, recognizing and honoring how deep it goes.
If it feels okay for you to share, tell me how it serves you!
If you’re reading this or engaging with it on the Substack site or app and you enjoyed it, please tap the Like or Restack button. That helps me grow and also makes my heart go boom-clap. I post new entries once or twice a month and you can catch up on my thoughts about boobs, regret, mothering, the internet, and finding meaning in it all until the next one arrives. <3