Breathing Out Stage Fright

You're stepping onto the stage, amidst opening night flurry and last minute stage directions. In the audience are the director you'd like to work with, the reviewer everyone listens to, and your first acting coach. The blood pumps in your ears, your heart is racing, and your throat is so dry you can't possibly speak your lines. Every muscle is tense and you want to run.

It's called the "fight or flight" response. It's also called stage fright. Stage fright comes in many different forms. For some, it's a nervous energy that disappears as soon as they begin performing, or a familiar sensation that's always under the surface but feels manageable most of the time. For others, it's so debilitating that they can't get through an audition to even be part of a performance.

Stage fright has huge repercussions to the health and well-being of the performer.

Dr. Louise Montello of Musicians Wellness, Inc. has worked with injured, blocked and anxious performers for many years, and has developed a rich set of tools that we can use in moments of stress and anxiety.

One of her most powerful techniques, from the Yoga tradition, is breath. breath is a key link between the mind and the body. Our body's autonomic nervous system is made up of the parasympathetic nervous system (related to relaxation, creativity and awareness) and the sympathetic nervous system (related to analytical thinking and action). When we're in "fight or flight" mode, our sympathetic nervous systems are in charge, and our bodies, minds and emotions are locked into battle with an imaginary enemy (while our creative expression gets caught in the crossfire).

deep breathing and the specific techniques that will be described in this article can reawaken your parasympathetic nervous system.

Note: In yogic breathing exercises, it's important to always breathe in and out through the nose.

1. Diaphragmatic breathing ("belly breathing")

Why? It allows you to move more air into your body and also to send more stale air out on the exhalation.

How? Practice this type of breathing while holding your hands on your belly, to feel it expand as you inhale, and contract as you exhale. Your back and sides should expand and contract as well. Watch a baby sleeping to get a really good demonstration of belly breathing.

2. Even breathing

Why? Will smooth out your breathing and help you to feel grounded.

How? breathe in and out for the same number of counts.

3. Two-to-one breathing

Why? Since exhalation is associated with the parasympathetic nervous system (related to relaxation, creativity and awareness), long exhalations also help to induce relaxation. This exercise is helpful in times of great stress (i.e. auditions).

How? breathe in for a certain number of counts, and then breathe out for twice as many counts (count evenly in your own time), pushing the breath out from the belly.

4. Alternate nostril breathing

Why? By alternately breathing through our right nostril (connected to our sympathetic nervous system) and our left nostril (connected to our parasympathetic nervous system), we can balance our entire autonomic nervous system.

How? To prepare for this exercise, clear your nostrils by breathing in and out quickly several times in a row (another technique called "cleansing breath"). Now, fold the index finger and middle finger of the right hand into the palm, and use the thumb to close your right nostril and your ring finger to close your left nostril.

Begin by inhaling through both nostrils. Then breathe out through one nostril, while blocking the other, and then switch and breathe in through the other nostril.

After three complete breaths, exhale without switching sides, and do three more breaths. This means you're now inhaling on the opposite side that you started from.

Now rest and breathe deeply and evenly through both nostrils for a few minutes. Then repeat that cycle two more times (with a rest in between), so you've done three cycles in total.

You'll be amazed at the difference these simple breathing exercises can make, with a few short minutes of practice every day. Then, at times of stress, you'll have a valuable tool to support your performance, and all your creative dreams.

Copyright 2005, Linda Dessau. All rights reserved.

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. Visit www.preparingforperformance.com for more help with performance anxiety.

Augusta Yoga Certification

Do You Want to Know The 3 Requirements for Successful Weight Loss?

Do I feel happy and at peace with myself? Do I like myself? Do I live each day with passion and purpose?

Well, did you answer yes to the 3 questions? Read them again slowly and reconsider.

Well, did you answer YES? - and did not hesitate - YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ ON - you can continue with your present diet or take on a diet and lose the access weight and you will be in shape, shortly.

Did you hesitate or said no to any question READ ON. All of us are driven by a purpose or goal - for practical reason; let's use losing weight as an example.

Be happy and at peace, with one self. - Knowingly or unknowingly we question or attack our self-worth and break our self-esteem down or perceive that we are not worthy. ( not our total being but only certain small pieces of our whole being). It might be something like physical appearance.

The mind is a very powerful part of us. The fact that "What the mind belief and conceive it will achieve" are very relevant here. Zero in on the small piece of our whole which we are not happy or uncomfortable with, acknowledge and accept it. When doing this, you will notice that there are much more to be happy and at peace with, than the few minor accusations which we ourselves make into a big issue. The unconscious processes and thoughts that inhabit your thinking dictate our self-image, and hence our feelings and actions. The way to overcome the old conditioning, which is no longer helpful to us, is to take conscious control of the brain. Nourish our minds with positive affirmations. By enforcing this, we will overcome our obstacles and it will sustain a healthy state of mind for future ventures and successes.

Do I like myself - yes, we all do. As a whole we are great and each one unique. At various stages in our lives we notice a draw back and need to fix it. How?

Live each day with passion and purpose - most of us know, when setting a goal, that it will take a lot of effort, strength of character, sincerity, self control, continued and maintained enthusiasm with a positive goal orientated attitude, to achieve it. We know, that the only way to succeed is to visualise one self, what it would be like, after reaching the goal. The self- fulfilment and glory of winning! This is the purpose, towards self - actualisation.

We know that when setting a goal we have to: - Break the goal down into small workable stages. Timed and measured interim small goals towards achieving the major goal. Reward your self on the successful completion of the smaller stages towards the major goal. (Have an Ice cream, no only one, small one :-)

The 3 Requirements for any goal are: Technical Knowledge - The "know how" and vehicle we use towards our goal (lose weight).

Acquired skill and competence - The ability to apply yourself (a little physical action) towards achieving the goal.

The passion to succeed - We may have all the knowledge, skills and competence, but without REAL PASSION to lose weight, we should not even try. Do you have enough passion? Not, re-read from the beginning or see my other Weight Loss related link.

Kind regards to all shapers.

Enjoy today, it's the first of the rest of your life!

I am Frik van der Schyff born in Pretoria, south Africa. 1947. after graduating and 32 years in senior corporate management as Operations Director in a major retail chain. I opened my own business and are involved in various projects.

My experience of life and well being of the mind and body is of extreme importance. The balances between our spirit, mind and body and the effects and influence it has on our selves, others and our environment. Social, political, religious, financial and natural environment.

My preferred field of interest, social and natural environment, are increasingly threatened. The bigger picture of the cause, impact, influences,problem analysis, possible solutions and problem solving of a specific.

My articles are based on real life experience and are dedicated to improvement, restoration and preservation of the above.

Power Stamina Yoga For Beginners With Rodney Yee Video