Good morning.
As usual it has been awhile since I quoted Victoria Moran’s book “Creating A Charmed Life”. Today I opened up the book and came across the chapter ‘Breathe’. Ahh…I love when the universe gently nudges me with what I need to address. I was just speaking about breath the other day to a good friend and how I really don’t breathe deeply. My breath lately is short and shallow.
‘Tell yourself as you inhale that you’re breathing in life and strength and glorious possibilities. When you exhale, know that you’re expelling the mental pressures, aggravations, and limitations that may have held you back.’
-Victoria Moran
Notice too when you breathe that your mind empties itself. No thoughts surface when you breathe. It is a short break from your mind….empty of thought, and a time to relish. It is quieting the ego for just a brief moment….freedom from thought.
Here’s an excerpt from Victoria’s book:
The Little boy in the airport waiting areas was distraught - and using all his lung capacity to show it. Dad and Grandma tried in vain to quiet him with toys and promises. When mom arrived on the scene, she knelt in front of her agitated offspring, looked him in the eye, and said, “David: Breathe.” Almost instantaneously the crying turned to quiet and, and within minutes, David was scampering about playing and laughing, apparently oblivious to his earlier upset.
Sometimes as adults we need the same message. David got: “Breathe.” Therapists define anxiety as “physical responses to given stimuli”, the foremost anxiety response to shallow breathing. The ability to breathe slowly and fully counters systematic tenseness and ‘automatically’ replaces it with relaxation.
Regular practice of controlled breathing, even for just a couple of minutes a day, makes a substantial deposit into your serenity account. The same techniques can also be a godsend in situations so stressful that “trying to relax” is an oxymoron – no more effective than offering a trinket to a howling toddler. Breath control is the ultimate stress manager because it is free, immediate, and always available.
It seems that these days, the someone telling you to, ‘Breathe’ seems over trite, but the truth is, it really does work.
Breathing is our most basic and constant activity that we do in life, and Victoria says that most people do not know how to breathe, let alone are taught to do it effectively. I am one of those. And lately, the stress in my life is leaving me anxious. I can feel it in my body and my breathe.
To breathe correctly, Victoria suggest following the masters. The yogi of ancient India made a science of studying the breath. They believe that the breath not only sustains life, but also sustains our moment-to-moment contact with the divine.
To breathe like a yogi, sit comfortably, either in a chair with your feet on the floor, or on a mat or a pillow, cross-legged. Keep your back reasonably straight. Think of breathing as a three-part process: You’ll expand your abdomen first, then your diaphragm, and finally your chest. This way you’ll be sure to fill your lungs instead of settling for the all-too-common superficial breathing that doesn’t fully oxygenate the system.
For basic deep breathing, inhale and exhale through your nose. Go at your own pace, remembering to expand your abdomen, diaphragm, and chest in order. Then exhale just as fully, being sure to push out all the stale air when you do. Take it easy. Don’t hyperventilate. Discover a comfortable rhythm for yourself. Do this for a minute or two, or for five or six complete breaths. It is a good way to wake up, especially if you do it outside or near an open window. Slow steady breathing is also a traditional prelude to and accompaniment for meditation. Combining the two multiplies the benefits of both.
Proper Breathing, say the yogis, can change the pattern of your thoughts. And this, says just about everyone who has looked into the matter, can change the pattern of your life.
So…are you breathing correctly? I know I need to work on this, and most importantly I need to take the time to work on it. :)
Hey Zen Lill: I laughed when I read your comment. So you had a break in you zen-ness? Happens to the best of us. Maybe a deep breath before you played percussionist at the expense of your keyboard, was in order. HaHa! – I hope all is good now.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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