The Essentials: Part 1

I bet right now you’re holding your breath.

(Now that I mention it, you probably took a deep breath. Good. Keep breathing.)

Photo by Tiago Rïbeiro

Breathing is one of the most essential parts of your existence. It is something so profound, so immediately necessary, that without continuing the simple act of breathing, you would not last very long. Fortunately, breathing is something that happens for us automatically and without much thought. If we had to consciously think about breathing every minute of every day, our lives would be much different. We wouldn’t have much attention to pay to anything else. Really, this is similar to most of our bodily systems – the beating of our hearts, the course of digestion – but with the unique quality that we can actually control our breathing. It can be either a conscious or unconscious activity. This is rare. We cannot consciously change the beating of our heart. Once we swallow, the progression of food through our digestive tract is fully in the hands of our body. With our breath, however, we have a choice. We can consciously breathe, or we can simply allow our body to continue to breathe in a way it’s grown accustomed to over time.

As infants, we don’t need to be taught how to breathe.  We know instinctively how to do this.  If you watch a healthy baby breathing you’ll notice that their breath comes easily, in a natural rhythm that inspires and relaxes their whole body. It is unforced and even.

As we grow up, things change. We become self-conscious. We encounter accidents, traumas, weddings, exams, and all kinds of stressful events that shift our breathing for a moment or a lifetime. As our lives fill up we tend to make less room for ourselves and our breathing. In response, it grows more shallow. Have you noticed how your breath almost disappears when you’re nervous? When we live in an atmosphere of deadlines, tight schedules, and trying to keep up with everything, our breath is disregarded. We practically forget about it. Yet, through all of the moments of our lives, our body keeps inhaling and exhaling.

Photo by Josh Libatique

Our breath is a part of us that is always there, carrying on with it’s duty, responding to our moods, and keeping us alive. It is our constant and most intimate companion.

The way we breathe says a lot about who we are. It evolves with us. It shows us when we are relaxed as well as when we feel challenged. It can tell us how much tension our body and mind carries on a daily basis. It is a reflection of who we are in any given moment and it is a powerful tool.

For now, I want to encourage you to just become acquainted with your breath. Sitting there, notice how it flows (or doesn’t flow). Don’t try to change it yet. Don’t judge it. Feel where it fills up your body. As you breathe, does your chest rise? Your belly? Does your back push slightly against your chair? Does it feel tight? Where?

Notice how often it moves; how quickly or slowly.

Just let it be and see what you observe. How does it behave? How do your thoughts and emotions respond to what you’re noticing? Give it time and attention.

Now, if you have a minute, I encourage you to make a note of what you’ve witnessed. This is an opportunity for you to study yourself, to step outside of yourself for a moment and peek inside.

In fact, I suggest you do this tomorrow, too. Just breathe and watch. See what you notice and jot it down.

This is part of a series in which we’ll be exploring more about our breath, what it shows us, and how to work with it. But this first step is very important, so practice it. Take at least a few minutes out of every day to pause, acknowledge your breath, and observe.

More to come.