DAY
137
“Many people now are seeking organic ways to heal themselves and feel good . . . Breathwork is the ideal alternative. It is free and completely within our conscious control.”
— Gay Hendricks, PhD
Organic remedies are all the rage these days. Everyone is learning the benefits of ginger, pomegranate, green tea, and various other cures. The easiest and cheapest natural remedy is breathing. It is free, and you can practice its healing powers anytime you want.
Maggie wanted to change the way she reacted in stressful situations. Her biggest stressor was her boss. She got flustered whenever her boss asked her questions, and she ended up sounding like an idiot. She was a fairly intelligent person most of the time, but the minute her boss started firing questions at her, she felt her heart rate spiral and her confidence plummet.
A friend who was involved in a daily yoga class suggested that Maggie pay attention to her breathing when she got in those situations and consciously take a breath before she responded. Maggie thought she might as well give it a try, and the very next day she had an opportunity. Her boss walked into her office and launched into a series of questions about a new project. Maggie took one split second to breathe in and out, and then she answered. The result astonished her. That one second gave her a chance collect her thoughts, and instead of a reacting like she was defending herself in a dodge ball game, she came back with a calm and intelligent response.
Every time someone asks you a question today, breathe before you react. Observe the difference in your response.
DAY
138
“Focusing on the act of breathing clears the mind of all daily distractions and clears our energy enabling us to better connect with the Spirit within.”
— Author Unknown
You know by now that you want to reach the spirit within you to tap into your true talents and unearth your unique gifts. Breathing is the express train to that place. You’ve studied meditation, and it is centered in breath, so you have already experienced what it’s like to use your breath to slow down and listen to your inner voice.
The other great benefit of breathing is that it’s like hiring a maid to tidy up your brain. If you focus on nothing but breathing, you will start to remove the chatter in your head. You will clear away the voices that are constantly saying things like: “Do I look fat in these jeans?” “Did I pay the phone bill this month?” “What should I have for supper?” “Did my son wash his hands after he played with the dog?”
That chatter is not important in the big scheme of life, and concentrating on your breath for a few minutes a day will help you brush away the small stuff to make room for your next big inspiration. You could have a great idea floating around in your head right now, but it’s lost in the crowd of your minor, distracting chit-chat.
Your assignment today is to take ten minutes to concentrate on your breathing. Find a place where you will not be interrupted—even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom. Inhale for three seconds and exhale for three seconds. Then breathe in for four seconds and exhale for three seconds and onward until you get to ten. Then reverse the numbers and exhale longer than you inhale. Don’t assess; just practice.
DAY
139
“Watch breath, soften belly, open heart, has become a wake-up call for mindfulness and mercy, which takes people beyond the mind-body of suffering into the deep peace of their healing.”
— Stephen Levine
Breathing exercises, when practiced regularly, will give you the gift of peace. Measured breathing helps you to slow down and sets up an environment of mindfulness that automatically invites peace, healing, and a feeling of centeredness. You deserve to take the time to practice breathing and connect to your inner self.
You’ve already had some practice watching your breath and counting your inhalations and exhalations. Now add a soft belly to the exercise. That’s right, a soft belly. You may have spent your whole life trying to suck in your tummy. Now is your chance to let it relax a little. Nobody’s watching. Try it!
A relaxed belly allows you to breathe more deeply. Let the muscles of your belly relax, and then take in a nice, slow breath. A breath that goes down into the belly is much fuller and more relaxing than one that goes into the chest. Try both so that you can experience the difference for yourself. First, take a deep breath high in your chest. Raise your shoulders, too, if you want. Then, let it out. It’s a relief to let that breath go, isn’t it? It promotes tension rather than relieving it.
Now take a long, slow breath into your belly. It’s as if you are a round jug filling with water. Exhale. You should be feeling even more grounded and relaxed. Let your breath fill downward into your body instead of up around your chest and neck when you practice your ten minutes of breathing today.
DAY
140
“Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.”
— Swedish Proverb
Leave it to the Swedish to sum it all up. Evidently, they are a practical bunch! Write this proverb down on a piece of paper and post it on your bathroom mirror, the cupboard where you keep your coffee cups, or anywhere you will see it daily. It sums up many of the topics you have been studying so far in order to achieve success. Concentrate on “whine less, breathe more” today.
Doug had an excuse for everything. He whined and complained nonstop. When he thought about it, he wasn’t even sure why he did it. At some point it had become a bad habit. He took a breath in, and he exhaled a litany of complaints, even if no one was listening. His constant complaining was blocking his opportunity for success.
Doug talked to a counselor about his problem, and the counselor suggested that he exhale without words. He had gotten used to whining when he exhaled. He needed to replace that with silence. For the next couple of weeks he practiced a different habit. He inhaled and exhaled twice before he let himself say anything. By that time he usually forgot what he was going to complain about. It broke him of his habit.
The truth is Doug wasn’t all that upset about any of those little things. He just got used to complaining. He needed to change his automatic reaction. By simply breathing, he changed his bad habit and made room for inspiration to replace his complaints. Follow Doug’s lead and whine less, breathe more today.