Breathe

“Take a breath”, “room to breathe”, “catching your breath”. Not just a manner of speech, but wise

words, rooted in ancestral knowledge of the miraculous benefits of the simplest medicine you never

knew you own. Slow, controlled breathing slows down your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure,

clears up the stress hormones from your bloodstream, nourishes your organs and clears your mind and

soul.

Try this: close your eyes while sitting in a safe, quiet, comfortable space. With the eyes of your mind,

for about two long seconds, follow a little particle of air as it starts its journey from the tip of your

nose, through your left nostril, to the back of your throat, down the windpipe, then descending to the

bottom of your lungs. Let it gift your body with its precious oxygen for a fraction of a moment, then

very slowly, over 4-5 seconds, let it flow out, without pushing it, like the air seeping out from the tiny

pinhole in a beach ball. Imagine all your pain, anxieties, worries, your anger, and resentment flowing out

like dark dust, leaving you soft, relaxed, light, and clean.

Try this for a minute, then next time maybe for 3, then 5. And whenever you feel overwhelmed, or your

batteries are empty, and there seems to be no hope in sight, remember about this secret weapon and

use it to cleanse and recharge. You are more powerful than you think.

Take good care of yourself.