Take a Breath
When I started sharing these reflections a couple of years ago, I had a simple intention. I wanted to show how simple it can be to create a sense of calm. A way to introduce the practices that I've learned that help ease anxiety, build self-awareness, and encourage compassion.
Time and time again, I come back to breathing practices. Partially because intentional, guided breathing is one of the cornerstones of my own personal practice, but also because they are quite accessible. They don't require additional stuff like props or equipment, they can be learned relatively easily without too much instruction and they can be practiced anywhere.
In his book, Breath, James Nestor writes, "Breathing is an autonomic function we can consciously control. While we can't simply decide when to slow or speed up our heart or digestion or move blood from one organ to another, we can choose how and when to breathe. Willing ourselves to breath slowly will open up communication along the vagal network and relax us into a parasympathetic state."
Or said more simply, guiding our breath is a way to invite calm into the body.
By deliberately breathing slowly and mindfully we start a dialogue with the body. It enables a shift from thinking about the body to being with the body. By simply slowing the breath and being present with the process of respiration, there is a space that is created. The worries, fears, anxieties are able to shift to the periphery of awareness, making room for presence and perhaps peace.
I’ve found that my body turns reflexively to a slower breath in moments of stress with consistent practice. I’ve built a muscle memory, my body knows that a slow breath will bring a bit of ease and clarity. By slowing the breath, a pause emerges. The ability to respond to a situation with a bit more kindness and compassion, rather than reacting.
And so I invite you to be with your breath today. Perhaps you simply take one deep breath as you read this sentence, or perhaps you take a few more moments for a longer breath practice. I’ve included a link to one of my go-to slow breath practices. Give it a try and maybe experience a bit more space, if even for only a moment.