meditation and Breath

The neurological effects of meditation are profound. For starters, people who are skilled at the practice and who do it often will usually develop thicker pre-frontal cortices. This pre-frontal cortex is this part of the brain that is usually most associated with higher brain function. People who are very skilled in memory recall and complex thinking – such as mathematicians, for example – will also have a similar brain density in this area. To some, the pre-frontal cortex is there to amalgamate information received from other parts of the brain and to work on higher-level goals rather than day-to-day brain functions. It is perhaps because of the interconnectedness of this part of the brain that also accounts for greater neuroplasticity among people who meditate. This is how the brain can effectively rewire itself according to habits and thought processes to work in different ways. As such, meditating regularly can literally help you to think differently if you do it for long enough. Happiness.com
Alternate Nostril Breathing Sit up straight. Using Alternate Nostril Breathing, using your right hand, close your right nostril with your thumb as you inhale through your left nostril slowly. Then release your right nostril and use your ring finger (or whichever finger works for you) to close off your left nostril. Slowly exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through your right nostril, change to thumb on right nostril and exhale through your left nostril. Repeat. Repeat several times and/or several minutes until you feel a since of calm.. Sometimes this is barely noticeable, but you will feel your breath slow, seemingly on its own.
Meditation To start, find a quiet, comfortable place to sit in a chair, floor or lay down. Focus on your comfort. Hands can be at your side or in your lap. Close your eyes or glaze at your lap. Take a long, easy breath. Notice your body and breath as you breathe. Then slowly let your breath out, noticing the breath and body. Again, a long, slow breath in and a long slow breath out. Sometimes it is useful to use a timer. Set it at one, three, five minutes. What you think you can handle. In the beginning, you will notice that a minute takes forever. Good. You are aware. It is best to be consistent when starting meditation. The mind-body works best with practice. It takes time for the practice to feel normal. Hopefully, you will notice how your body relaxes and your mind needs training to come back to the breath. Just keep at it. You may find that 20 to 30 minutes a day gives your the quiet energy to manage your day.