Breathing is the greatest pleasure in life. -Giovanni Papini
A long while back, a teacher gave me the following awareness while I was struggling with disabling anxiety, crushing loss, and coping with shock, pain, and emptiness as my world view was violently and completely ripped away from me: “Everything starts with the breath.“
I’ve spent a lot of years coming back to this thought, and I have used it as a grounding mantra during both the highs and lows of my life. I share it often with all the people I work with as they process their journey and reach their goals.
Before anything ever happens there is breath. Before the first thoughts of the day - there is breath, before sleep - there is breath. As we sleep - the breath is there.
There is breath before action. And there is breath before stillness. As we ride the unique roller coasters of our thoughts, memories, projections, and emotions, first, breath is there.
Bringing our attention back to the breath and focusing on it invites us to find ourselves squarely in the presence of self: body, thoughts and awareness. Noticing that we are having thoughts is crucial if we desire change in our thoughts, patterns, and goal outcomes.
Coming back to the breath helps us reframe and gather our energy for whatever is coming next and provides support while processing what has come to pass.
Everything starts with the breath and everything ends with the breath until the breath is gone.
Would you like to give it a try?
Join me as we explore and experiment in this 7 day tapping meditation challenge. It’s just 5 to 6 minutes per day that can help you ground yourself and discover what there is for you waiting in the awareness of the breath.
“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.” - Thick Nhat Hanh
