The Last Breath

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Breathing is an indicator of whether we are alive or not.

We come into this world taking our first breath with somewhat of a struggle as we inhale this new substance called air.

Little do we know that it will determine the quality of our life and how long we shall live in this particular body.

Our heart nor brain can function for very long without the precious inhale and exhale that marks our every moment.

We somehow forget this as we hold on to our breath, half breathe shallowly, tighten and contract our bellies, or over breathe during moments of anxiety decreasing the quality of those very life moments that are so very precious.

Two hours ago I was at the bedside of a most beautiful 89-year woman who was on the other side of that first life filled breath that brings us into the world. During my year and a half as a volunteer for hospice this woman became a part of my heart.

It happened that my regular visiting time coincided with her taking her “last breath”. Surrounded by loving family Irene transitioned amidst loving stories and touch, laughter, permission to let go, and deep gratitude for being who she was.

This is not the first time I have witnessed a “last breath”, nor will it probably be my last. During those last minutes as the heart slowed the labored breathing became a simple soft sigh of release as life as she knew it slipped away.

Such a gentle letting go that it could have been missed if one looked away just for a moment.

Not all deaths are as peaceful as this one was. What a gift to have it so.

Our breath gives us life. We never know when the next inhale will be our last. In fact we experience a little “death” every time we exhale having to completely trust that there will be a next inhale.

As I gave Irene a final kiss, told her how much I loved her and left the family to say goodbye to her I took a full breath and in that moment realized this.

Every inhale and exhale is a milestone along our path. We only have so many of them before we too transition. If how we breathe is how we live our lives….how would you want to breathe?

 There are choices.

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NATURAL PASSAGES CONSULTING

Inspiring New Possibilities, Living From the Heart of Life While Co-creating Well Being of Body, Being, Heart and Planet….One Breath At A Time

http://www.GayeAbbott.com

Gaye Abbott, RYT assists individuals to dissolve the layers that cover the natural innate blueprint we came in with and reveal, through a combination of the energy medicine of Jin Shin Jyutsu, yoga therapy and breath re-patterning, and as spiritual mentor/guide/coach, the larger purpose and co-creative expression that we are here for.

For those interested in receiving private sessions please contact Gaye at: JoyfulGaye@NaturalPassages.com.  Travel to your location in the U.S. or globally is available as is Skype mentoring/coaching.  Please inquire. 

 

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:
www.WildlyFreeWoman.com
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

Breath-Book-coverW2(1)Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here:

http://gayeabbott.com/books/

Soul Musings/Day 31: Reflections on Listening to Soul

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Gaye Abbott at A Healing Collective, Houston, TX

For those of you that may have been following these Soul Musings for the past 31 days I express my gratitude. In total there have been 93 posts including today’s which is rather unbelievable to me as I was ready to quit it all on Day 5!

True to form there will only be 8 sentences here (though the one following is indeed a very long one!) with the last two being specific to this particular blog. I have experienced many things as I have committed to this practice and among them have been the fickleness of the creative muse; the release in simply writing something and then letting it go; observing the critic that wanted to take main stage but whom I banished to the netherlands (where is that anyway?); the groundedness of a regular writing practice; at times the self-imposed pressure of hitting that “Publish” button every single day on 3 blogs; allowing for the polarity of “good writing” and “bad writing” to vanish from my vocabulary; that there would be “something to write about” every single day, but more, trusting that I would listen to what was coming through and simply act as the translator on behalf of full uncensored expression.

When I was urged from the depths of my Soul – from Source – to commit to this practice I was at first certain of it and then wanted to flee from the implications of it. The months of going without writing anything prior to this practice have now fled into oblivion (would love to know where that is too!) and I am washed clean of any hesitation to simply write from the deepest parts of my being.

So many spaces to breathe in from an embodied perspective. The bottom line is to remember that the air we breathe is what interconnects us to all that is alive……and how we breathe has a lasting effect on the quality of life we all share on this planet and beyond.

NAMASTE

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NATURAL PASSAGES CONSULTING

Inspiring New Possibilities, Living From the Heart of Life While Co-creating Well Being of Body, Being, Heart and Planet….One Breath At A Time

http://www.GayeAbbott.com

Gaye Abbott, RYT assists individuals to dissolve the layers that cover the natural innate blueprint we came in with and reveal, through a combination of the energy medicine of Jin Shin Jyutsu, yoga therapy and breath re-patterning, and as spiritual mentor/guide/coach, the larger purpose and co-creative expression that we are here for.

For those interested in receiving private sessions please contact Gaye at: JoyfulGaye@NaturalPassages.com.  Travel to your location in the U.S. or globally is available as is Skype mentoring/coaching.  Please inquire. 

 

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:
www.WildlyFreeWoman.com
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

Breath-Book-coverW2(1)Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here:

http://gayeabbott.com/books/

Soul Musings/Day 30: Breathing With Whales

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I carry a prejudice that there are a myriad of other precious things in life to pay attention to than social media. Yet the connections that lead to deeper ones, or the last video posted that has you breathing with humpback whales, leaves you changed inside forever.

We live in a seemingly complex world filled with distractions, obligations and concerns. Hardly a moment to take a simple full inhale and exhale to relish the feeling of letting go.

The beauty of our interconnected world is that we can have experiences and meet people that although not in our physical domain, connect us to our soul of being. It is here that we realize there are no barriers on this small planet of ours.

In fact we are but stardust manifested in a biological form that continues to shift consciousness with the realization that every single life form is breathing with and for us. Take a few moments now to click the link below and join the pure magic of simply breathing with a pod of humpback whales.

 

RESOURCE:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152427317547854&fref=nf

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NATURAL PASSAGES CONSULTINGphoto58

Inspiring New Possibilities, Living From the Soul of Life While Co-creating Well Being of Body, Being, Heart and Planet….One Breath At A Time

Soul Musings is a 31-day practice for the month of December immersed in deep listening to what is emerging and unfolding day by day.  Eight sentences with occasional resources to explore more deeply.

Each post, invited by Soul, allows the words to emerge unscathed from prior planning, editing, or censorship.  Dwelling in uncertainty and dipping a toe into mystery this union of words is an attempt to resonate within an innate way of Being…. returning “home”.

To receive daily posts simply sign up for this blog and you will be notified through e-mail.  In addition there will be daily posts on the blogs below.  Thank you for being part of this practice with me!

Gaye Abbotthttp://www.GayeAbbott.com

OTHER BLOGS:

WildlyFreeWoman

NaturalWealthJournal

Breath-Book-coverW2(3)Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here:

http://gayeabbott.com/books/

 

 

 

Soul Musings/Day 29: Bring Yourself Home

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So often we simply don’t register the bodily processes that keep us alive and well.

Nor do we express daily gratitude for this miracle called body.

It has been voiced that the breath is a function that differs from others.

Serving as a resonant pathway through which we can play and explore, meditate and focus.

From the very first inhale upon our birth we are grounded in our Being as body.

A source of life that when focused on in it’s fullest and most authentic expression brings us home.

This on-automatic function is so precisely a guardian of our soul.

That every moment breath awareness unfolds into consciousness…..

 there passes one more moment of life fully expressed.

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NATURAL PASSAGES CONSULTINGphoto58

Inspiring New Possibilities, Living From the Soul of Life While Co-creating Well Being of Body, Being, Heart and Planet….One Breath At A Time

Soul Musings is a 31-day practice for the month of December immersed in deep listening to what is emerging and unfolding day by day.  Eight sentences with occasional resources to explore more deeply.

Each post, invited by Soul, allows the words to emerge unscathed from prior planning, editing, or censorship.  Dwelling in uncertainty and dipping a toe into mystery this union of words is an attempt to resonate within an innate way of Being…. returning “home”.

To receive daily posts simply sign up for this blog and you will be notified through e-mail.  In addition there will be daily posts on the blogs below.  Thank you for being part of this practice with me!

Gaye Abbotthttp://www.GayeAbbott.com

OTHER BLOGS:

WildlyFreeWoman

NaturalWealthJournal

Breath-Book-coverW2(3)Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here:

http://gayeabbott.com/books/

Soul Musings/Day 28: Breathing With Your Feet

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Standing with eyes closed we may feel our feet clutching the ground beneath us. They have forgotten to trust that the earth will support them.

This disconnect starts much higher in the tension that holds our breath captive above the heart. No wonder we have forgotten how to be as fluid and flowing as the river that easily moves around barriers.

Notice what happens as you let go of the contractions that dwell in the ego. The body softens and the breath cascades down to kiss the earth.

If everyone breathed with their feet just think how differently we would relate to our planet.

Bowing in scared reverence for our life.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

NATURAL PASSAGES CONSULTINGphoto58

Inspiring New Possibilities, Living From the Soul of Life While Co-creating Well Being of Body, Being, Heart and Planet….One Breath At A Time

Soul Musings is a 31-day practice for the month of December immersed in deep listening to what is emerging and unfolding day by day.  Eight sentences with occasional resources to explore more deeply.

Each post, invited by Soul, allows the words to emerge unscathed from prior planning, editing, or censorship.  Dwelling in uncertainty and dipping a toe into mystery this union of words is an attempt to resonate within an innate way of Being…. returning “home”.

To receive daily posts simply sign up for this blog and you will be notified through e-mail.  In addition there will be daily posts on the blogs below.  Thank you for being part of this practice with me!

Gaye Abbotthttp://www.GayeAbbott.com

OTHER BLOGS:

WildlyFreeWoman

NaturalWealthJournal

Breath-Book-coverW2(3)Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here:

http://gayeabbott.com/books/