“Being aware of your breath forces you into the present moment – the key to all inner transformation. Whenever you are conscious of the breath, you are absolutely present. You may also notice that you cannot think and be aware of your breathing. Conscious breathing stops your mind.”
Eckart Tolle
I took Sunday off from writing. Like to keep Sunday’s open from anything other than chilling.
Bit of a blank today as I find myself stunned again at the predicament we are all in. On the one hand, and for the most part, I am able to just be with the fact that this is what’s happening and so it goes. I can stay calm within the uncertainty, do my part in keeping myself safe and isolated-for myself and others. Help in whatever ways possible. I can get beyond my mind and all the stories and concerns and worries that want to surface.
On the other hand, moments of fear creep in-fear of the unknown, of what things will be like when this is all over. What will the world be like, what will everything be like.
Remember to take some deep breaths. To sit for even 5 minutes during your day to be still, put your attention on your normal pace of breathing and allow yourself to relax and get beyond the mind even for a few minutes each day. It’s worth it.
Love to you all!
In May of 2017, Kris and I set out on a 4 month trip in our Northstar truck camper up to Alaska. I did quite a bit of writing on that trip, and this particular piece comes to my mind often when I think about our trip. I wrote it the very first night, the beginning of our 4-month trip.
Have you ever thought about or maybe even heard the barking watchdogs of geese on a lake? Last night we arrived at a breathtaking camping spot at Saratogo Lake, Wyoming. It’s located about 30 miles south of Sinclair, tucked way back in the sprawling open fields and located on a serene lake. We camped right on the lake, where the shore is highlighted by flowing grasses and reeds, leading into the vast blue water of the lake teeming with various species of birds. This area was developed in 1992 as a sanctuary for birds and wildlife. The magnificent music of the birds singing all evening and again in the morning and afternoon was a delight. I’d say for me that one very soothing and enjoyable thing I’ve loved my whole life is to hear birds. I’ve memories of birds in the trees in the area where I grew up, but over the years the open land was developed into housing tracts along with DDT and the birds and butterflies disappeared. It’s nice to find places where birds are abundant and grace us with their symphonies.
Why did I ask if you had ever heard the watchdogs of the lake? Because last evening, as we strolled the lakeshore we spotted two geese also basking in the grasses along the lake. When they saw and heard us coming close, they started honking, flew into the water and for at least 10 minutes they continued to honk, (which sounds like barking) until we were far away from them. Had me think that these geese were on alert, like the dogs in our neighborhood who bark and protect their area when the see or smell something foreign. So I labeled these geese as “the watchdogs of the lake”.
Otto Warburg was a German physiologist, medical doctor and Nobel laureate. He was the sole recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1931 and won the Nobel Prize for proving that cancer cells cannot survive in an oxygen rich environment.
There is light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes the tunnel seems deep, dark, and long even if being in that space only lasts a day. In that tunnel the mind can be very bothersome as it conjures up so many stories and scenarios as we face ourselves and the situations in our lives that need attention.
I’ve found how important it is to recognize the ego part of my mind and the part of my mind that is my friend and is trying to give me information as to how to move forward into more clarity, realization and understanding. Not sure I could experience the depth and breakthrough that comes after diving into these places without meditation. To give myself time to rest in the silence.
I meditate in a number of ways, all are so helpful. I love the silence of meditation and I love breathwork! Each take me beyond the mind and help so much as life unfolds.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it, but we always do come through to the other side with more understanding, awareness, clarity, heart opening love.
Remember to take time each day to focus on your breath. breathe in, breathe out, breathe in breathe out. Focusing on your breath even for 1 minutes brings one back to the present moment, melts away what is bothering oneself and clears the space to be open, relaxed, and less burdened by the mind.
Savanna
I am continually in awe of the benefits and impact conscious breathing and breathwork offers to humanity. Hope you enjoy this article from Jim Morningstar’s “The Complete Breath” by Jessica Dibb, Co-director of the International Breathwork Training Alliance and the Chair of the IBTA Ethics Committee.
Each full breath we take has a beneficial impact. If we take that full breath consciously, with awareness, the benefits are exponentially increased. We can develop a practice of breathing this way. We can even cultivate skill in the way we allow our breath to be modulated by our experiences, and the ways that we encourage a full deep breath in every moment – in the presence of all of the vicissitudes of a human life. We can come to understand and experience that within each breath we breathe dwells the possibility for greater health, healing and wellness, personal growth and development, creativity, developing intelligence and wisdom, accessing intuition, and evolving and building a healthy world together.
When we are in the womb we feel, we sense, and we grow. What makes it possible for us to feel, sense and grow outside of the womb is breath. It is the most critical physiological function for life. Breath is one of the most transformative forces for life and one of the most powerful medicines on the planet.
Right now you and I are sharing the same experience – that our life began with a single breath, that our life is maintained by a series of breaths, and that the last thing that we do in this life is to take a breath. Right now you and I are sharing the air that we breathe. This air has been breathed over time by trillions and trillions of creatures, human and non-human, including all the people that humanity most admires for having helped make the world a better place.
And right now you and I have the same experience that without any conscious effort on our part we are breathing. And that breath is supporting the efficacy and vigor with which every cell in our body functions, and it is animating every moment of our life. Simultaneously this most critical, essential, and powerful physiological function can be affected in its rate, depth and more by our conscious volition. The implications of the meeting of the unconscious and conscious aspects of breathing, the effortless and efforting dimensions of breathing, for regulating a healthy and harmonious relationship between the sympathetic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system, and for creating opening and flow between the conscious and unconscious mind are thrilling and promising.
At the beginning of the 21st century there is expanding recognition that the source of much illness and disease is lack of oxygenation. How fortunate we are that there is wisdom from ancient times to today that can teach and guide us in consciously harnessing the full benefits of our breath. It is our most potent nutrient, and our most potentiated vehicle for awareness and self-actualization – and it is free and available every moment. From the simplest of breathing techniques that encourage relaxation and stress-reduction, to progressively enhanced techniques that promote cortisone regulation, stimulate immune functioning and hormonal regulation, to neural regulation and integration, and finally to intensive breathing techniques that help humans to penetrate the deepest parts of themselves, access their greatest gifts and fully flower as a being – breath is a surprising, delightful and awesome blessing.
Envision a world in which every baby is so loved and supported that there is little or no restriction or constriction, or holding of the breath due to anxiety, fear or unnecessary suffering. Envision that these relaxed, breathing childrenʼs bodies are then taught early in life about the significance, power and potential of deep and healthy breathing. Imagine a world in which these children are taught to breathe optimally and even expand their knowledge and capacity to breathe. Imagine a world in which all adults are supported and guided in retraining their bodies to breathe fully. Could we, as a species, as individuals, be healthy? Could we then meet each other with more relaxation, confidence, and awareness of the other? Could we then work together to keep our air, earth and water clean and vibrant? Could we then recognize our common humanity- and need to love and be loved? Could we build a healthy world that we can collectively relish together?
I continue to relish the articles in Jim Morningstar’s “The Complete Breath”. Enjoy this excerpt from Jessica Dibb regarding the healing potential of our breath.
“At the beginning of the 21st century there is expanding recognition that the source of much illness and disease is lack of oxygenation. How fortunate we are that there is wisdom from ancient times to today that can teach and guide us in consciously harnessing the full benefits of our breath. It is our most potent nutrient, and our most potentiated vehicle for awareness and self-actualization – and it is free and available every moment. From the simplest of breathing techniques that encourage relaxation and stress-reduction, to progressively enhanced techniques that promote cortisone regulation, stimulate immune functioning and hormonal regulation, to neural regulation and integration, and finally to intensive breathing techniques that help humans to penetrate the deepest parts of themselves, access their greatest gifts and fully flower as a being – breath is a surprising, delightful and awesome blessing.
Envision a world in which every baby is so loved and supported that there is little or no restriction or constriction, or holding of the breath due to anxiety, fear or unnecessary suffering. Envision that these relaxed, breathing childrenʼs bodies are then taught early in life about the significance, power and potential of deep and healthy breathing. Imagine a world in which these children are taught to breathe optimally and even expand their knowledge and capacity to breathe. Imagine a world in which all adults are supported and guided in retraining their bodies to breathe fully. Could we, as a species, as individuals, be healthy? Could we then meet each other with more relaxation, confidence, and awareness of the other? Could we then work together to keep our air, earth and water clean and vibrant? Could we then recognize our common humanity- and need to love and be loved? Could we build a healthy world that we can collectively relish together?”
I can barely get past the first few pages of “The Complete Breath: A Professional Guide to Health an Wellbeing.” There is such rich and inspiring information being given to humanity through the writings of these leading authorities on breathwork. Once again I quote Jim Morningstar, from the introduction of this book.
“At the beginning of the 21st century there is expanding recognition that the source of much illness and disease is lack of oxygenation. How fortunate we are that there is wisdom from ancient times to today that can teach and guide us in consciously harnessing the full benefits of our breath. It is our most potent nutrient, and our most potentiated vehicle for awareness and self-actualization – and it is free and available every moment. From the simplest of breathing techniques that encourage relaxation and stress-reduction, to progressively enhanced techniques that promote cortisone regulation, stimulate immune functioning and hormonal regulation, to neural regulation and integration, and finally to intensive breathing techniques that help humans to penetrate the deepest parts of themselves, access their greatest gifts and fully flower as a being – breath is a surprising, delightful and awesome blessing.
Envision a world in which every baby is so loved and supported that there is little or no restriction or constriction, or holding of the breath due to anxiety, fear or unnecessary suffering. Envision that these relaxed, breathing childrenʼs bodies are then taught early in life about the significance, power and potential of deep and healthy breathing. Imagine a world in which these children are taught to breathe optimally and even expand their knowledge and capacity to breathe. Imagine a world in which all adults are supported and guided in retraining their bodies to breathe fully. Could we, as a species, as individuals, be healthy? Could we then meet each other with more relaxation, confidence, and awareness of the other? Could we then work together to keep our air, earth and water clean and vibrant? Could we then recognize our common humanity- and need to love and be loved? Could we build a healthy world that we can collectively relish together?”