A friend mentioned to me that she took some ’sit and breath’ time in the car for 20 minutes on the way home from work yesterday. She lives in the boonies so 20 minutes is a drop in the bucket, *and* she wasn’t driving so she was able to close her eyes and do some breathing exercises. She felt like a million bucks by the time she got home.

Obviously you’re not going to get into any heavy duty alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodana) when you’re driving, but commuting time is great ’sit and breath’ time. You’ve usually done the commute so often you could do it with your eyes closed anyways. And if you’re on a bus or train, even better. Some suggestions:

- 3 part breath - fill up your belly with air, then your ribs, then your chest and do a long slow exhale (in no particular order). When you fill up your ribs, see if you can fill them up all the way around. See if you can feel the ribs expand under your arms and back into the seat. This exercises all the intercostal muscles between your ribs.

- Perfectly Peaceful Pause - add some ‘kumbhakas’ to your breath. Start with a brief pause at the end of your inhale before starting the exhale. If you’re feeling adventurous (and please, not lightheaded) add a brief pause at the end of your exhale. The deep breathing will give you plenty of oxygen to take you through the pauses.

- Lovingkindness Meditation - First relax your body, as much as you’re safely able to, and become aware of your breath. Then say to yourself “May I be peaceful. May I be happy. May I live with ease and well being.” Then repeat it for the folks in the cars around you: “May You be peaceful. May You be happy. May You live with ease and well being“. Especially for the guy who cuts you off.

Taking ’sit and breath’ time during your commute helps you arrive at your destination calmer and gives you a nice division between work and the rest of your life. And just think, you’ll never have to fight off road rage again.