Often we can take our own breathing for granted. After all, we’ve been doing it since we took our first breath upon entering this world as ourselves. It is automatic. It just happens. Most of us didn’t have to learn (or fight to breathe). How greatly blessed this gift of breath is to us.
And, we have sayings like ‘you take my breath away’; I can’t breathe I’m laughing so hard; It’s hard to breathe in here.
In a panic attack and/or fear, breathing can get very shallow. Our bodies can constrict. It can feel very uncomfortable.
May you be aware of your breath. Invite it. Feel it. Watch it. Love it. Manipulate it by taking longer deeper breaths. Perhaps, by breathing into your belly and expanding it and contracting it kind of like a balloon with air. It can also be relaxing to breathe in through one side of your nostril and breathe out the other. May you, perhaps, notice that the breath breathing in is cooler than the warmer air that comes out. Just notice your breath. Feel gratitude for the ease of it if you are lucky enough to have ease of it.
Imagine all that good oxygen going into every part of your body; into your brain down to your toes. Feel it in every cell of your body; your organs. Invite it to flow through you to initiate your calm, your empowerment and your walking on.
The breath and our heartbeat are two things we can sometimes take for granted. Perhaps, today is a good day to thank your lungs, thank your heart and thank your body for supporting you as best it can.
May you make best friends with your body and watch it flourish through your own loving breath and kindness.
Breathe on.
