Leading Like a Monk: Breathing In and Breathing Out

Leading Like a Monk: Breathing In and Breathing Out June 22, 2017

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Breathing In and Breathing Out

Monks inspire me to remember, in the words of Benedict’s Rule, “Always, we begin again.

Each breath is a new beginning.  We breathe in and fill our lungs with opportunities to begin again. When we breathe out we expel what we do not need and give ourselves room to begin again.

As long as we are still breathing we can begin again.

Our breathing reflects who we are and how we live. At times when we struggle, physically or intellectually, our breathing can become labored.

Breathing is a form of nonverbal communication. The people around us, consciously or unconsciously, pay attention to how we are breathing. Our breathing can be a calming influence in a group of people or spark an increase in anxiety.

Catching Our Breath

All of us have times when it is difficult to catch our breath. We may be exerting ourselves, or caught up in the excitement of the moment. There may be something within is or something in the world around us which makes it challenging.

Sometimes we need to pause, take a deep breath in, and let it out. We may need a few deep breaths. It could be because we are tired or frustrated, or we have not had a moment to spare. Caught between the past and the future we need to draw in a few deep breaths.

It is easy for our leadership to be either stuck in the past or racing ahead into the future. We may regret things we have already done or wallow in nostalgic memories. The future may fill us with either fears or fantasies. We cannot really lead in the past or the future, only in the present.

Catching our breath helps us remember to live and lead in the present moment. Letting go of what is past and what may never happen makes us more effective leaders.

Breathing in and breathing out helps us clear away obstacles and distractions.

Breathing as a Spiritual Practice

For me, the first spiritual practice is breathing.

Breathing is what we do when we do not do anything else, while we sleep and when we pay attention. Our breath is the practice which makes all our other practices possible.

Breathing is deeply spiritual. Sacred writings describe how the breath of life awakens and inspires us. People tell us how deep insights take their breath away. Some people believe a scriptural notation for God’s name comes from the sound of breathing.

Breathing in and breathing out is the rhythm and pattern our our lives.

Breathing is also a powerful working metaphor for spiritual life. We breathe in fresh air to fill our lungs, and pause to receive. The oxygen we need for our hearts, minds, and bodies to continue working flows into us. Our sense of smell connects the world around us to the world within us.

We breathe out, providing nutrients to the plants around us. We release tensions and toxins, letting go of what is not healthy for us to hold in ourselves.

Our breathing reflects the steps we take inward and back out into the world on our spiritual journeys each day.

Many monks pray breath prayers, even without words. They practice breathing evenly and deeply, filling their lungs. Praying, working, reflection, and chanting help monks learn to breathe well.

When I visit the hermitage where I am a lay oblate monks communicate by breathing. In silence, without saying a word, we breathe together. Even when I am far away, the pattern of our breathing reminds us we share a monastic community. We pause, take a deep breath, and remember.

Breathing and Leadership

We generally do not pay attention to how we breathe. Each of us began breathing when we were born without any previous training or experience. No one taught us how to breathe because we had no time for that.

When we think about breathing it is usually to learn how to breathe more effectively. We each meet a minimum standard of breathing, which is to continue doing it. It can become important to help us breathe better.

Like monks, inspiring leaders practice breathing in ways which strengthen their abilities. People respond unconsciously to how we breathe. The way we are breathing may reassure or challenge them. The rhythm of our breaths can help us connect to others.

We are all breathing, and breathing the same air. We may confine ourselves somewhere breathing the same stale air for a day. It may be more helpful, and more healthy, to walk outdoors sharing fresh air.

Our shared leadership flows out of how we breathe together.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Each breath we take is filled with potential new beginnings.

The monks, and the leaders, who inspire us breathe fresh air and new life into us. Whenever we take a breath we can remember back to that first breath as we were born. As we continue to breathe we fill our lives with fresh air and fresh ideas.

All of our other leadership strategies and practices flow out of our breathing.

As we struggle to work together we will need to pause and catch our breath. Our breathing is powerful. Breathing gives rhythm to our lives and allows us to catch up with ourselves.

It is easy for us to get distracted and caught up in things other than our primary focus. We think about the past or worry about the future. Taking time to breath allows us to remember the present moment.

Breathing in and breathing out calms us and helps us remember where we are. There is no way for us to live without breathing. We cannot store extra air and hold our breath.

Fresh air fills our lungs, hearts, and brains and sends us off in new directions.

When was the last time an insight took your breath away?

How often will you pause to catch your breath today?

[Image by shawnzrossi]

Greg Richardson is a spiritual life mentor and leadership coach in Southern California. He is a recovering attorney and university professor, and a lay Oblate with New Camaldoli Hermitage near Big Sur, California. Greg’s website is StrategicMonk.com, and his email address is StrategicMonk@gmail.com.


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