Just Breathe

Like I said, it's not all about food this month.

Aside from being extremely scary and awful, one thing I have learned from S1ren being hospitalized is that I've let a lot of things slide, in particular my breathing.

I used to teach my students to put their hands on their bellies and breathe so that their hands moved in and out with every breath; I'd talk about our tendency to breathe high in the chest, which triggers the body's fight-or-flight response and contributes to long-term anxiety.  We'd work on Darth Vader breathing (aka the Ujjayi breath, I believe, in yoga) and following the breath, and how just pausing to slow your breathing consciously could ground you in a heartbeat, so paying attention and keeping the breath long and slow was good for overall health, meditative ability, and de-stressing.

Yet another in a long line of examples of "Do as Sylvan Says, Not as She Does, Because, DAMN." 

Watching my friend fight to breathe and seeing how her breath came in panicked gasps when she couldn't get enough oxygen made me remember all of those lessons, and throughout the day I've been taking notice of when my breath goes shallow and what a difference it makes to my state of mind to breathe as if it were on purpose.

When you watch your breath you become so much more mindful of the overall state of your body.  You become aware of tightness, pressure, and pain; how your posture affects your ability to take a full breath, and therefore energize you or enervate you; and how slowing the breath can help still the mind, or at least give you something to focus on besides the gibbering of the Squirrel Brain. 

My favorite breath exercise has always been the Zen mindfulness verses I read in Thich Nhat Hanh's Peace is Every Step.  He gives you verses to recite mentally while breathing on the inhale and the exhale, such as,

Breathing in...I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out...I know I am breathing out.

I've found this pattern enormously adaptable to stressful situations:

Breathing in...I calm my body.
Breathing out...I am relaxed.

Breathing in...I breathe in love.
Breathing out...I release all fear.

Breathing in...I acknowledge the tasty tasty donut.
Breathing out...I make a healthier choice.
Breathing in...I place the donut back in the box.
Breathing out...I smack the sonofabitch who invented Krispy Kreme.

Well, okay, not so much that last one, but you get the idea. 

Comments

[Holly]

Please tell S1ren I hope she feels better soon! (I know neither one of you knows me from Adam, but I remember you from the Mother's Magic message board, way "back in the day".) Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

[Jaka Merriman]

You'd be amazed how many times a week I think about that breathing thing in Body Sacred. I try to remind myself not to panic-breathe (particularly right now).

Happy thoughts for both you and S1ren.

[Danmara]

Oh crap!!! I hope S1ren is OK!!!!

Take it easy yourself. :(

[Thalia]

You know, you are actually allowed to have the donut.

I have never been able to get with the conscious breathing thing for some reason. Focusing on my breath really wigs me out and takes me to a head game panic attacky sort of place. I don't want to be conscious of it. I just want to breathe.

Signed,
Thalia, Grumpy Curmudgeon

[Kyeli]

I've found that hearing or reading the word "breathe" makes me automatically take a deep breath. It's funny and odd. Therefore, I got myself a bracelet with "breathe" on it. I feel clever!

Thanks for the reminder to breathe. It really does make a huge, huge difference.

[Renee]

I hope that S1ren is feeling better really soon! And I will remember to breathe!

[jeni treehugger]

I really hope S1ren is OK.
xx

[Lyon Mercaeant]

I hope your friend feels better soon. It sounds horrifying to say the least. =(

I felt compelled to comment because I needed to give you a big ol belly laugh in response to the krispy kreme comment. I almost choked on my coffee. lol

I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder several years ago when I was in college and for the record you're right - Ujjayi saved my sanity.