Breathing Our Way to More Peace

Do you sometimes feel like no one is listening to you? And, if you find someone who will, do you then wonder if you are being understood? If so, I hope it’s not an experience you have often. Speaking from experience I know it can be a very lonely feeling.

No matter how much faith we have in a God above or within, no matter how much trust we give scientific principles, or how many friends we have to support us, there are times for most of us when we feel disconnected. If and when that feeling of separation happens to you, how can you regain your balance and move forward?

I hold the belief that there is a power greater than us, yet at the same time is part of what makes us who we are. We can use that power, because it’s not separate from us. It’s not the “old man in the sky” God you may have been taught to fear from your youth. This universal energy is something that responds to each of us. But, it can only work most effectively if we are willing to have our lives change as much as we say we want them to do.

Even with the strong faith I have in the universal power in which I believe, I sometimes experience a disconnection from the world around me. Writer/blogger Madison Taylor suggests that we take a deep breath to regain our spiritual equilibrium. Now how, you may be thinking, can that be the answer to feelings of solitude or desperation? Actually, it can and does do exactly that. Why?

Because we usually get to the “end of our rope” by becoming totally wound up in what’s going on around us. We forget just how much of our lives are operating on automatic. Unless you are practicing yoga or something else that centers on your breath, I doubt you think about breathing throughout the day. I do practice breathing techniques and I still don’t think about breathing most of the time.

However, when I do take the time to stop and notice my breath my whole perception changes. Remember mom or grandma telling you as a child to take a deep breath or count to ten before responding when you were angry? They may not have known why it works, but it does. Our anger, confusion or fear can cause physiological responses in our body that can literally choke the air out of us. Without life-giving oxygen flowing through us in an amount that sustains us, we can find ourselves suffocating like a fish out of water.

The next time you feel alone, angry or afraid, take just a moment to stop and become consciously aware of how you are breathing. Are your breaths shallow and your neck muscles constricted? Can you feel the corners of your lips pursed in a pout of some kind? Whatever you discover take a moment to breathe deeply, in and out, at least ten times. Close your eyes if you can. Then as you end that breathing cycle, remind yourself that there is a power within you that sustains, guides and provides for your every need. Allow that power to work through your intuition to direct you to your action.

As Taylor writes this is one of the quickest ways to pull yourself back into awareness of Spirit and a place of peace. Rest assured that this works and you will feel better afterwards. You may not have an immediate answer to what’s upsetting you, but you’ll find you are much better able to handle whatever the issue may be!

In Spirit, Truth and Playfulness,

Terry