With a deeprooted connection to the wonders of the ocean, it has always been our source of inspiration. Influenced by the holistic beach culture of wellbeing, wide visions of sustainability, and while immersed in an intensive yoga study, it was surrounded by the ocean where Léa the Label was born. Nature, combined with the harmonious energy of the sea, helped fuse our passions of wellness and fashion to create minimalistic chic swimwear designed in harmony with the planet.
When immersed in beautiful surroundings while appreciating natural beauty, the sense of renewal comes easily. But, how do we bring that sense of renewal into our everyday lives to help us feel energized and fully restored? As a brand that values wellness and self-care, we want to share with you a few different ways that have worked for us to move towards restorative energy from the heart. Read on for more!
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Now, more so than ever, we live in a world where we have become so aware of the many hardships people and the planet face. While our innate state of being is to live with vibrancy and feel the joys of living, it is natural for us to want to feel present for our own needs as well as the needs of others.
However, with so many existing stressors, anxiety, tension, or depleting energy can lead to feeling overwhelmed, brain fog, and disrupt our natural state of being. We find that when we are feeling run-down or overwhelmed, it is necessary to recenter and focus on restorative self-care to find a sense of renewal.
Getting enough sleep, exercise, and eating nutritiously can help restore our physical bodies, but there are many other ways to fully contribute to a desired state of wellbeing. We believe this restorative energy comes from the heart with a focus on mental strength and clarity.
In our own lives, we have found that practicing a regular fitness regime, such as yoga or pilates, helps to increase flexibility, develop muscle strength and overall works to tone the body, but it also encourages a strong mental discipline to help restore a peaceful mind. In addition to yoga, meditation is extremely valuable to achieve mental clarity as it has been proven that by regularly meditating, symptoms of stress and anxiety can be mitigated.
Finally, we truly believe the importance of breathwork cannot be understated. With that being said, we want to share with you a breathwork technique that our team has found beneficial to improve the mental, physical and overall spiritual well being.
The technique we are sharing is part of a yoga-breathwork technique known as Pranayama, which literally translates: "to extend the vital life force." The process allows you to break your unconscious breathing pattern and instead introduce an intentional pattern of specific breaths. Ultimately, it calms your entire nervous system while reducing anxiety and stress, but improving self-awareness and focus.
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The type of Pranayama we are sharing is Nadi Shodhana, also known as Alternate Nostril Breathing.
Did you know that throughout the day, your nostrils alternate dominance in terms of where more airflow may be coming in and out? Whichever nostril is dominant has direct impacts on your nervous system as well as mental clarity. This breathing technique offers a simple, yet extremely effective way to calm your entire body and mind while offering instant clarity.
The Nadi Shodhana Pranayama Method:
Step 1:
Find a comfortable seated position where your sitting bones are grounded. If you'd like, put a pillow under your sitting bones to help keep a long spine. Relax your shoulders as you let them melt away from your ears.
Step 2:
Allow your eyes to gently close and release the tension from your face. Bring your right hand to your face while gently placing your index and middle finger between your eyebrows, or "third eye." Place your thumb on your right nostril and your ring finger on your left nostril.
Step 3:
Close your right nostril with your thumb and exhale through your left nostril. Then, inhale through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your ring finger. Moving forward, release your thumb from your right nostril to exhale. Proceed to inhale through your right nostril. Close your right nostril, release your hold on the left nostril and begin this cycle again.
Restorative breathwork techniques such as Nadi Shodhana directly enrich our overall happiness, which can enable us as individuals to not only be present for ourselves, but also for others and their potential needs as well. You may notice that by incorporating this technique into your daily life, your creative or altruistic passions may be fueled and you may feel better prepared to take on day-to-day endeavors with optimism and clarity.
Tell us: Do you practice breathwork meditation? If so, we'd love to hear from you and how it benefits your overall well-being! Also, do you have a favorite spot to meditate?
Find a comfortable seated position where your sitting bones are grounded. If you'd like, put a pillow under your sitting bones to help keep a long spine. Relax your shoulders as you let them melt away from your ears.
Step 2:
Allow your eyes to gently close and release the tension from your face. Bring your right hand to your face while gently placing your index and middle finger between your eyebrows, or "third eye." Place your thumb on your right nostril and your ring finger on your left nostril.
Step 3:
Close your right nostril with your thumb and exhale through your left nostril. Then, inhale through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your ring finger. Moving forward, release your thumb from your right nostril to exhale. Proceed to inhale through your right nostril. Close your right nostril, release your hold on the left nostril and begin this cycle again.
Remember the pattern to breathe out, breathe in, then switch sides.
Repeat this pattern for about 12 rounds, always remembering to inhale through the same nostril you just exhaled through.
Repeat this pattern for about 12 rounds, always remembering to inhale through the same nostril you just exhaled through.
Restorative breathwork techniques such as Nadi Shodhana directly enrich our overall happiness, which can enable us as individuals to not only be present for ourselves, but also for others and their potential needs as well. You may notice that by incorporating this technique into your daily life, your creative or altruistic passions may be fueled and you may feel better prepared to take on day-to-day endeavors with optimism and clarity.
Tell us: Do you practice breathwork meditation? If so, we'd love to hear from you and how it benefits your overall well-being! Also, do you have a favorite spot to meditate?
Imagery by Léa the Label
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