A safe and nourishing crocodile

Kids today are facing a mental health crisis. In the fall of 2020, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Children's Hospital Association and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry declared an emergency in child and adolescent mental health. In mindfulness class, we learn tools to ease anxiety and improve mental health. The breath is probably the most overlooked tool we have for managing stress. While we take on average about 20,000 breaths a day, probably very few of those are intentional. One tool you can learn right now is Crocodile Breath.

Have you ever had someone say to you, “take a deep breath” and you find that you can’t? Tension in the abdomen may be one reason. Not understanding how your breath works may be another. Crocodile Breath uses the floor so your  belly gets feedback and can relax.

To begin, lay on the floor and stack one hand on top of the other. Rest your forehead on the top hand and bring your big toes to touch with the heels falling away from the center. Try to relax your whole body–feet, ankles, calves, hamstrings, hips, neck and shoulders. As you breathe in through your nose, notice your belly spread out on the floor underneath you. As you exhale, feel your body sink into the floor. Encourage your exhale to last a little longer than your inhale–this promotes relaxation  and helps move your nervous system out of “fight or flight” and into “rest and digest.” Take at least 10 deep breaths here. Every exhale, feel yourself getting heavier on the earth. Every inhale, feel your belly expanding and your body filling with fresh prana or “life force.” Invite the calm to overtake you. If you’re like some SMOW students, you may even need to be awakened after a few minutes of crocodile breathing!