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Sunday, April 18, 2010

*Take a deep breath *

"Life can only exist in the moment it is lived." ~Beau Ravin~

So when we breathe deeply, we are practicing deeply conscious connected living.

Sometimes I think that we hold our breath unconsciously to avoid our feelings, which creates spiritual and emotional starvation. We distract ourselves with things to do...we are human beings, not human doings. Even though service is important, are you truly serving your truth? Are you making your heart sing?

If we made a decision to truly confront our life's lessons we would take some SlOw, DeEp BrEaThs, look at ourselves from a bird's eye view to detach from the ego & gain perspective, make a connection from our heads to our hearts, be open with our loved ones and trust that the path of truth will lead to total freedom. Imagine if we did this each time we faced a painful situation? What is the hurry in life?

These are the thoughts that I pondered this morning as the crisp morning air permeated every cell of my body, filling my lungs with life-giving oxygen while I rode my bike 42kms over gravel & bitumen, up & down hills, across rickety bridges and through the fresh light-filled sun showers.

Just like the trials & victories of life, at times I lagged behind the group on my bike, slogging it with a sore bum & being a cautious granny by slowly riding down the bumpy gravel hills with a hand on the brakes. Then at other times I enjoyed smooth speed & chit chat with a smile on my face, greeting the cows & birds with peacefulness and feeling extreme adoration for every living creature. "Ommmmm"

This is life in motion & I think it's beautiful.

We must accept the moment and find something to feel gratitude for or we are merely puppets on strings, controlled by the ego's perspective ~ the constant desire to be in the past, future, the doubt, fear, comparisons...resisting the lessons and gifts of life. We need to rise above the base realities of our 'little ones' inside.

Iyanla Vanzant says ~

"Conscious breathing nurtures and nourishes the mind, body and spirit. Breath is how we remain conscious of and connected to God (or a higher power). When the mind or emotions are stressed, breathing becomes shallow and restricted (p.86 ~ Tapping the power within: A path to self-empowerment for women).

So, as I pondered these words & my half full breaths of late, I began to ask myself.. If you have shallow, restricted breathing are you in the habit of making yourself stressed or allowing life and its lessons to create stress & fear within you? Where does that stress come from? Are you truly in a state of acceptance/least resistance when you're breathing it that way? Find the strength to relax into life and accept, feel compassion for yourself and others, nurture, heal, trust & respect the unfolding condition of life. There will be a light to illumine each step of the path. This is true acceptance.

Cleansing Breaths

Cleansing breath increases blood flow to the brain and the heart. It can accelerate the elimination of toxins in the blood stream.

1. Sit or stand in a comfortable position
2. Inhale slowly as much air as possible through your nose
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth, with your lips puckered
4. relax for a few seconds by breathing at a regular pace
5. Repeat steps 2, 3 4 ~ four to eight times
6. Once you have completed the practice, sit quietly for 3 to 5 minutes.

You can use Cleansing Breaths throughout the day to keep your mind clear and your emotions balanced. Use cleansing breaths when you feel especially stressed or upset in response to your moment-to-moment experiences and interactions with others.

Think deeply, live simply, love completely and nurture your mind, body and spirit by taking a deep breath....*aaaahhh* now doesn't that feel better?

Gem x

6 comments:

  1. Hmmmm Breatheeeeeeeeeeee~ Thank you for sharing your beautiful wisdom.

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  2. Please check out The Dolly Lammy's new website and support us in establishing a Breathing Awareness Week WorldWide. www.thedollylammy.com

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  3. Thanks beautiful sunshiny Briege,
    We must catch up sometime soon. xox

    And thank you Wilf for letting me know about The Dolly Lammy's new website ~ such an important cause. I'll definitely tell my friends about Breathing Awareness Week and we'll plant some trees.

    Gem x

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  4. Hi Gemma...me again.Thank you for your response and sharing our concept with your friends and planting some trees. How cool is that. Any suggestions to help us establish BAWWW are also much appreciated.
    Would love to have your permission to reprint your breathing article in our Breathing Library with accreditation to you. Please let me know at:
    wilf@thedollylammy.com
    Thanks, Wilf

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Gemma,
    Its been a long time since we touched base...would love your opinion on our new website: www.thedollylammy.com
    Cheers,
    Wilf

    ReplyDelete