'The Shift’ is a unique way of self healing

By Mark Pavilons
Editor

We're always looking for ways to de-stress during some down time.
Now, thanks to an innovative new device, it has become that much easier and accessible.
The Shift, by Komuso Design, is a small, wearable whistle-like device that helps you down shift, any time of the day or night. You can wear it around your neck, for convenient comfort at all times.
There's a science to proper breathing techniques that can help your body and mind. It can actually make you feel better and live longer.
It's a shift of your breath, a shift of your mind. A longer exhale makes all the difference, and so Komuso designed a strong durable device.
Founder Todd Steinberg said he and his wife Vanessa were inspired by an interesting looking flute (shakuhachi) made in the 17th century Japan by the Komuso monks. They used this flute to meditate and we were inspired by the use of a physical tool to breathe consciously.
“When creating The Shift, we combined the science and utility of the straw breathing technique with the design of the shakuhachi. We wanted to create something practical so we could use it everyday, yet also inspirational so it can be worn as a keepsake to inherit the monks' intentionality of stillness,” he said.
Steinberg admitted there's nothing easy about reducing anxiety and stress but The Shift makes that process more practical because it's simple to use. Most people don't appreciate the science of breath-work in that there is an untapped resource that we misuse every day, to the tune of 23,000 breaths.
“To us, it represents 23,000 opportunities to make any moment more relaxed or present.”
Steinberg said they're proud to boast a customer review rating of 4.7/5 stars. While every customer has a unique story, most comment on how having a physical tool hanging around their neck makes a big difference.
“We know that we need to breathe slower, but forget because breathing is automatic. The tool brings more conscious breaths ‘online' so we can slow down our breathing patterns to create calm on demand. We've also helped people quit smoking/vaping because the tool replaces the physicality of a cigarette and focuses on longer exhales which naturally relaxes them.”
Steinberg said on average, we have about 50,000 thoughts per day and 80% of those can be negative.
“We like to think of our thoughts as the gas pedal and our breath as the breaks. Since so many of those thoughts can push you into ‘fight or flight' mode, we need to counter those stressful feelings by simply slowing our breath.
“The Shift can be used situationally for sitting in traffic, anxiety before a meeting, trying to sleep at night, food cravings, smoking cessation, physical pain, overthinking, child labor, and so much more.”
Whenever you notice anxiety or stress, simply inhale deeply through your nose into your belly, pause, then exhale naturally through The Shift will guide that exhale to 6-10 seconds. The length and diameter of the piece were engineered by a therapist to provide the ideal exhale which physiologically calms the nervous system after about 5 breath rotations.
“When you exhale longer, your nervous system is engaging the vagus nerve which signals all of the organs to be calm. You should notice a reduction in heart rate, blood pressure, cortisol (stress hormone), and a loosening of your muscles,” he added.
The Shift is made with medical grade 316 stainless steel so it's ready for everyday use. They also bake precious metal colors through the piece which withstands water and doesn't wear or tarnish. You can order The Shift through their website at www.komusodesign.com.
For more details, watch the video on YouTube:

YouTube Video: YouTube.com/watch?v=M5JQlifcN7g