Tag: breath enhancement

Breathing Room

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These three things that matter can most often be found within another three states: Silence, Stillness and Spaciousness.  How our ego puts up a fight against even dipping one single toe into a space large enough to hold a full inhale and exhale in this very moment.

Try this simple exercise and see what happens – stand with feet planted on the floor about a hip distance apart, arms at your side with palms facing forward.  Watch as a full breath starts from the belly, expands the ribcage and back, then cascades like a waterfall on the exhale pausing in the pool of breath at the bottom.    Take several breaths this way.

Now close your eyes and lean forward as far as you can without tipping over.  Watch what happens to the breath.  Now come back to center and root down.  Watch what happens to the breath and be aware of all the micro-movements and adjustments the body must make in order to simply stand upright.

For most of us this simple exercise reflects what happens constantly all day long.  We lean into the future and our breath is literally held as our mind takes us to the next thing on the agenda.  There is no breathing room.

I experienced that today in a conscious exercise in yoga class.  As we moved very slowly from one pose to the next the mind wanted to revolt, to run, to judge, to do anything but be quiet to the burning muscle or the reflex thought about tomorrow.  Instead we were instructed to place our mind on gentleness within the silence, stillness and spaciousness that grew as each breath passed.

To gracefully let go of the ego’s urging to move out of the pose, run to the bathroom, or chant the mantra – this is too hard!  Watch the breath, love the body, let go gracefully of what is not meant for you.  How much more do we suffer if we don’t give enough breathing room to expand the moment that we are in right now?

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941546_10201139084457154_1085573193_nOTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:
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Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here:Breath-Book-coverW2(1)
http://resonancewithlife.com/daily-breath-book/

Just Breathe

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How many moments in our day are we not present?  How many times do we think of where we want to be instead of where we are right now?

Valuing the moment puts us in touch with our bodies, our heart, and the present experience we are having.  Sometimes there are events and situations in our life that create a desire not to be present….to do anything but be present…to actually rush headlong into something else, somewhere else, or to someone else in order to avoid the richness (or pain) of the experience we are currently having.

Could it be if we truly did believe that “we are where we need to be” in any given moment that the unfolding of our lives would teach us that there is a wisdom to the progression of these very moments.

Clarity and awareness often are elusive if we don’t allow the natural unfolding of things.  That could mean a very painful, fearful or emotionally charged life event.  You know, the one where you want to be anywhere but there!  Or it could even be a fallow period where nothing seems to be happening and boredom sets in.

The simple act of breathing consciously allows anchoring in these moments.  428219_10151416538395435_697790100_n

It forces us to be true to ourselves and to take a look  at exactly what is happening without overt reaction.  It is in the power of witnessing,  followed by an acceptance that we have a major role in creating our present set of life circumstances.  Some call that accountability.

We are where we need to be for our growth, and awareness of the next step to take.  It is not always pleasant – but it is almost always enlightening and can often be transforming.

It all started coming down the birth canal and embodiment here and now won’t stop until you take that last breath.

How simple to accept that we are where we need to be….and just breathe.

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

WEBSITE:  www.ResonanceWithLife.com

Breath-Book-coverW2(3)Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here:
http://resonancewithlife.com/daily-breath-book/

Every Breath As A Prayer

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Often we feel that a prayer comes in the form of something spoken out loud or within, on our knees,  sitting in meditation, joining with others in a group,  read or written – in other words an action we must consciously take.  What if every breath we take is a simple prayer and a means to connect head with heart as proposed above?

What would you do with that practice?  Defining prayer as each breath taken expands the sacredness of what it is to be alive!

If each breath is a prayer then…

We are constantly in prayer

We have an unlimited opportunity to love

Our every breath is a deep connection to something greater than ourselves

Each breath is a prayer of gratitude for the life we have been given

No moment is less or more important than another

We are constantly praying with every other life form that breathes and vibrates

There is no separation between ourselves and the sacredness of life

There is nothing we have to DO to pray or any belief system needed

Prayer is life breathing itself

There is a beginning prayer and an ending prayer within this one life

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Website:  www.ResonanceWithLife.com

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://resonancewithlife.com/daily-breath-book/

Cherish Yourself Within The Breath


“As you breathe in cherish yourself. As you breathe out cherish all beings.”

H.H. The Dalai Lama

As 2013 begins we may take a look at our lives to see and feel where we can be more of our authentic selves, increase our happiness, love more, achieve more, create more…..and it goes on.  It there was one intention for the year, only one mind you, what would that be?

For me I ask to be mindful of my breath.  The full, natural optimal breath that was given to me at birth.  Breathing fully is perhaps the best way to value yourself and your overall health.

Dr. Andrew Weil, father of Integrative Medicine says it this way, “If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.  From my own experience and from working with patients, I have come to believe that proper breathing is the master key to good health.”

Many of us find ourselves breathing from a very shallow place when we even notice our breath.  This shallow breathing is an integral part of what I call the anxiety cycle.  Shallow breathing tells the body to protect and be on guard.  What unseen forces are out there to get me?  …and it takes us into the future or the past, forgetting the precious moment we have right now.

On the other hand a full breath activated via the diaphragm with soft belly and full ribcage expansion tells our body and our 377365_284005775041434_1705234306_npsyche that all is well.  Ahhh….looking forward to the next full breath, the next life moment.  Do you want to live a full, healthy and expanded life?

DID YOU KNOW…The average person reaches peak respiratory function and lung capacity in their mid 20′s? As they continue to age they lose between 9% and 25% of respiratory capacity for every decade of their life! The findings resulting from a 5,200-person clinical study group observed over a 30-year span showed that the way a person breathes is the primary measure of potential life span. (From Framingham study) Do As One

The breath practice above suggested by the Dalai Lama is simple and effective, or the simple words of “I am breathing in” and “I am breathing out” for 10 breaths, with eyes open or closed, and in a posture of comfort is one way of breaking the anxiety cycle….and putting your focus on enhancing the way in which you are presently breathing and living!

Begin 2013 with cherishing your breath, yourself….and all beings.

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WEBSITE:  www.ResonanceWithLife.com

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

Breath-Book-coverW2(3)Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here:
http://resonancewithlife.com/daily-breath-book/

Change Is Possibility


Gazing at the water drops on this leaf there is a sense of capturing an exquisite moment.  Yet our experience tells us that in the next moment this will change as everything is always in motion.  Riding the inevitable movement of change is what this life of ours is all about.  What do we do with change – resist it, or choose to see and be open to possibility.

This past week during a class I was teaching on the breath at our local University here in Austin, Texas there was a moment that asked for a different awareness.  Participants were paired up to practice opening breathing spaces with each other by simply laying hands on shoulders, backs and sides of body.  At the end of the exercise the giver was to give a gentle shoulder massage and simply be present in the moment.  Coming over to one pairing I saw and felt the possibility for a shift and believed that it was there to emerge.

Placing my hands lightly on the person’s mid-back and fingertips mid-chest I simply encouraged the breath to release.  In that moment the person who was receiving was filled with breath as if she was being breathed.  She became taller and expanded her breathing spaces to such an extent that it felt like a miracle to her.  The amazed expression on her face was enough to validate that within change there is always possibility for yet something else to evolve if we are open.

The person responsible for the photo above, Dewitt Jones, says that we “won’t see it until we believe it”.   That can be said for feeling it as well….a sixth sense if you will that something else is about to emerge that is even more extraordinary than what is presenting in the moment.  Do we have the patience and the trust to simply wait and be directed from a deeper place than our minds.  Do we have the wisdom to look at what is right with our lives, our relationships, our breath, our world.

It is always right there within the framework of change…   Please take time to watch this 22 minute video by Dewitt Jones on celebrating what is right with the world and staying open to change.  As we enter into the holiday season it may offer an entirely different perspective to live and be grateful from.

http://www.celebratewhatsright.com/film

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WEBSITE:  www.ResonanceWithLife.com

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:

www.WildlyFreeWoman.com
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here: 
http://resonancewithlife.com/daily-breath-book/