Breathe deeply more often, opening to the breath of life. Your ability to breathe is your secret weapon. In all its forms, whether for meditation or healing, the breath is magical. Take time to learn about it, how it can strengthen you, cure you, enhance you; how it can give you new life. Learn to breathe in new ways, to let nature in, to let life in, to invigorate and reinvigorate. The act of breathing is an act of change and change is good, especially when consciously embraced. Let change enhance you—breathe!
Let stress be your guide to relaxation, to calmness and to balance. When stress arises, dispel it with breath. Eradicate it with thought that is mantric, healing and soothing. Tell it to go away with firmness, for what is stress but a thought gone awry, that has lost its way and only needs to be told that it is not wanted, that it does not need to suffer in the land of the living, for stress comes from outside. Keep this in mind whenever stress is present in your life, that it is conjured by thought not conducive to a calm central nervous system. Breathe. Calm the body with breath. Calm the mind with breath. Let breath be your stress reliever.
There’s nothing like a calm belly breath… – Photo by Jan Ketchel
Beta brainwaves are active when we think, hence, they are the dominant brainwave of waking life. Typically, our consciousness is preoccupied with an internal dialogue that operates semi-consciously, as it judges, categorizes, projects possibilities, and relives lived experiences.
The subconscious mind treats the mental scenarios generated by the internal dialogue as actual facts and prepares the body to cope with their impact. Hence, the mere anticipation of an upcoming performance might generate a fear, which triggers the release of adrenalin to gear up for the challenge, as if it were happening now.
The resulting constriction in the body is accompanied by shallow breath. In fact, if one observes one’s breath when engaged with the internal dialogue, one is likely to notice both shallow upper-chest breathing and modestly long periods of holding of the breath.
These breathing patterns reinforce to the subconscious mind the presence of a danger that requires a sustained state of anxiety. The subconscious does not think rationally, it acts, based upon the body sensations and mental imaginings it is presented with.
Cognitive behavioral therapy capitalizes on this dynamic of thought-generating feeling and behavior by encouraging one to consciously control one’s thoughts. Mainstream medicine may prescribe beta blockers, a class of drugs that control the impact of adrenaline on the body, particularly the heart.
Abdominal breathing shuts down the internal dialogue, as it introduces alpha brainwaves to the body. Alpha is a restful, calm, relaxed brainwave. When in meditation, alpha is experienced as a mindful state of presence that does not attach to sensations, feelings, or mental meanderings. In alpha, one consciously removes attention from the internal dialogue.
To consciously introduce alpha brainwaves via the breath, focus on the belly for the entire breath. Allow the chest and upper chest to remain completely dormant. Imagine the belly to be a balloon that you slowly fill up to capacity, hold, and then release. Abdominal breathing is also called diaphragmatic breathing, as the diaphragm pushes downward as the balloon fills up.
Specifically, count to the count of 8 during the inhalation, hold for the count of 8, then exhale fully to the count of 8. When you complete the exhalation hold the breath for a count of 4, then repeat the pattern, beginning with an inhalation to the count of 8.
This pattern of 8-8-8-4 can be repeated for as long as one feels comfortable. Notice the resulting shift in mental, emotional, and physical states. Of course, feel free to modify the count as needed to fit your comfortability.
In fact, just practice taking a deep abdominal breath or two at any time, and notice how it breaks one’s fixation upon an anxiety-generating thought, feeling, and mental state. Achieving this calm with the introduction of alpha waves can allow for a more useful contemplation than the unnerving mental activity of the internal dialogue.
Inject some new vitality and vigor into your life in the simple act of breathing with intent to gain energy, calmness, and peace of mind. Instill loving compassion into your intent, and in every action you take use kindness as your anchor. In this manner find not only new vitality and vigor in your own life but a calm heart-centeredness that will provide you with a central attitude of caring and kindness that is worth every breath you take. Let no breath leave your body without these intents and all will begin to change for the better, within and without.
Sending you all love, The Soul Sisters, Jan & Jeanne
Find peace and calmness in every breath you take. Breathe in serenity and breathe out disharmony. Breathe in the air of change and breathe out stagnation. Breathe in love and breathe out discord. Find the many ways to take a cleansing, healing breath, to find the calmness within that you seek. When the spirit has it in mind that change should happen it may rattle your nerves, but know that it has your best interests in mind and that it is just pushing you toward the next leg of your fantastic journey called life. Take a breath, and in calmness move on into that which is already laid out and waiting for you with open arms.
