Remember
to Breathe
“How
we breathe on the mat reflects our state of mind…if we are panting and out of
control in our breathing, we are likely to be the same in our adrenalin-filled day.
When we can use our breath fully and in a way where we are truly nourished by
the oxygen we take in, we are able to allow ourselves to melt into being
present.”
Laura
Berman Fortgang (The Little Book on Meaning, p. 147; Penguin Group, 2009)
I’ve
thought more about how I breathe in the last couple of weeks than in the rest
of my life put together. One of the reactions I have experienced from the
second covid vaccine shot is an annoying dry cough that catches in my throat
and won’t quit. I am feeling better, but when I exercise, I cough.
When I
work with Garvice, my Physical Therapist, he tells me, “Don’t forget to
breathe.” When he says that, it means I’m holding my breath, which is something
anxious people tend to do. That, of course, increases anxiety. So, I’m trying
to be conscious of breathing deep and slow, into the belly, expanding the
chest, and so forth.
My
takeaway this morning from Fortgang’s Little Book on Meaning, is that
how we breathe reflects our state of mind. I have noticed lately an uptick in
irritability. Like my breath, my fuse is short and ignites over little things. Deep
breathing awakens the parasympathetic nervous system, hits the off switch on
our adrenalin pump, and calms us down. In the words of Laura Fortgang, “The
calm allows for clearer thinking and better decision making.” Thank God for
that!
Taking a moment for three
deep, slow breaths creates an opening for a more balanced approach to the minor
annoyances that are inevitable. It’s like a magic threshold over which we step for
a better approach to whatever is going on. There is a physiological reason for
this. The lungs are the major organs for waste removal in our bodies. When they
are clear and fully expanded, our oxygen levels are higher, and that affects
our ability to think straight, and supports our overall health. It’s like
taking out the garbage so it doesn’t overflow the bin and make a mess.
Here’s what Laura Fortgang
says: “With the mind calm, and the breath steady, we are opened like a
geode. We can be ready to shine what is spectacular about us and receive what can
help us show our brilliance.” (p.147)
I hope you’ve got your
shine on today. Show your brilliance. Remember to breathe.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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