Our breath is truly the gift of life. A newborn comes into this world with a first breath, an inhale of air that gives life. And a person leaves this world with one last breath, one last exhale of air that marks the end of life here.
Breath
Baby’s first air; Last gasp in life
Like the way human life begins…or ends.
In between those first and last breaths are rhythmic breaths that are the living of life. You inhale and receive energy for living and you exhale, letting go of all that you no longer need.
Air
The breath of life; unseen but there
Like being everywhere and nowhere.
We often don’t notice our own breathing because we do it unconsciously. Yet, our breath does change based on our state of being. When we’re anxious, afraid, or under stress of any kind we’ll often breathe fast and shallow or even hold our breath. When we’re relaxed, our breaths are usually longer and deeper.
Breathing
Inhaling in; Exhaling out
Like a rhythmic push and pull that lets one live.
Taking a moment to become conscious and regulate our breathing can help us to calm our minds and bodies, release stress, and allow self-healing powers to be activated.
I invite you to take that moment right now and close your eyes. Observe your natural breathing without trying to change it. Just inhale and exhale. To stay focused, you can count each breath as you inhale. Continue as long as you’d like.
Even this simple breathing exercise, where you put your attention on your breath, can shift your state. You become more relaxed, calm, and centered. Your level of stress lessens, and you release tension in your body. Your body returns to a more natural state of balance and health.
So simple and easy that it can be done at almost any time during the day!
Welcome to a series of blog posts where I’ll share my poetic ponderings on a variety of words that I like to call Sharpettes, I offer them to you as inspiration for contemplation and living a full and joyful life. You can find more inspiration for daily living and connect with me here.
