Breathe

https://themindsjournal.com/breathe-this-ancient-sanskrit-symbo/

Birthday Shout Out: April 16 🎂
Monita Murphy

Marty has joined in this blog today with his wonderful wisdom! In 2008, Marty wrote a book called The Mind Whisperer. He shared an excerpt from his book about the importance and benefits (physically, emotionally and spiritually) of mindful breathing:

"Since ancient times, breath has been equated with the formless, with Spirit. The masters from Hinduism and Buddhism developed powerful systems of breath control. Those who practiced these systems mastered fear, healed illness and attained enlightenment. The Breath of Life is the Spiritual life force. The act of breathing has unique life-sustaining power. I am referring here to more than the physical process of moving air into and out of our lungs... 

Let’s see if we can discover the power that conscious breathing may awaken in us... 

I invite you to take a moment and do a little exercise. Just relax. Now notice one complete breath. By the way, that’s all you are able to notice, one breath. The last breath is now a memory; the next one, an expectation. So, both are now objects in your mind. When you focus your attention completely on one breath (in...and...out), you may find that you have been thinking of little else for that one cycle. Try it again. Now breathe some more...slowly. Focus on one cycle at a time. Notice the pace of your breathing. Become aware, if you can, that while you are noticing this breathing, the pace of your thinking has significantly decreased. When you notice this, your ego (Toby) will probably jump back into your consciousness and try to retake control of your thinking. It’s OK. That’s what Toby does. It’s Toby’s job. Just relax and focus once more on breathing. Notice, if you will that you are becoming free from Toby’s incredible momentum and constant rattle. One intentional, observed breath is enough to bring space into your consciousness where before there was only non-stop mind-chatter. That space,that true consciousness, is Pure Awareness, our essential nature."

I have taken a restorative yoga class for a few years now, and the instructor always stresses that "the most important part of our yoga practice is BREATHING!  I love our family, and all the mutual support, comments and contributions that are coming in! Thank you, Marty!

LYM,
Reenie