How to Calm the Body and Integrate the Brain

Understand How the Brain Works

As we learn to identify and accept our feeling states and practice balanced breathing, we are bringing our brain into balance as well as our body.  Here is a simple way to understand the way the mind works when it’s imbalanced.  

Body Calming and Brain Integration Exercises

The Left Side of the Brain controls the right side of the Body

The Right Side of the Brain controls the left side of the Body.

(Except for our thumbs, that is.)

When we give our body deep muscle and joint, bilateral (both sides of the body) stimulation, we are helping it to calm down, rebalancing our brains in the process which leads to clearer thinking and feeling.

Physical exercises that use both sides of the body promote balanced brain integration. 

Walking

1. Stretch your body before exercising.

2. Walk briskly for 5-10 minutes. Notice your breathing and feet hitting the pavement.

3. Pause, breathe, and turn into how the body feels. 

4. Stretch your body after exercising.

Running

1. Stretch your body before exercising.

2. Run outside for 5-10 minutes.  Notice your breathing and feet hitting the pavement.

3. Pause, breathe and tune into how the body feels.

4. Stretch your body after exercising.

Floor Push-ups

1. Do full leg or knee pushups. 

2. Breath in as you push up, breath out as you release.

3. Pause, breathe, and tune into your body. 

Wall Press #1

1. Lean against a wall, with feet about two feet away from the wall, bending your knees to flatten your back against the wall. 

2. Press your body into the wall, using your leg and back muscles.  

3. Breathe in and hold the press for a count of 5.  

4. Breathe out and release the pressure for a count of 5.  

5. Pause, breathe and tune into your body. 

6. Repeat 10 times. 

Wall Press #2

1. Position yourself as in the photo.

2. “Push the wall down” as hard as you can.

3. Breathe in and press as hard as you can for a count of 5. 

4. Breathe out and release the pressure for a count of 5. 

5. Pause, breathe and tune into your body. 

6. Repeat 10 times. 

Chair pushups 

1. Sit in a chair.  Place your hands on the seat of the chair on either side of you.  

2. Press down and straighten your arms to lift your body off the seat. 

3. Breathe in as you press. Hold for a count of 5.

4. Breathe out as you release.

5. Pause, breathe and tune into your body. 

6. Repeat 10 times.

Hand Press

1. Press the heels of your hands together hard as you take a breath inward.  

2. Hold for a count of 5.   Release and exhale. Draw breath in as you press.

3. Exhale as you release the pressure.  

4. Pause, breathe and tune into your body. 

5. Shake out your arms to release any remaining tension.

6. Repeat 5 times.