We all breathe,
But do we breathe well?
Do we even consider the breath?
Or do we simply take it for granted?
And yet,
Let us reflect on the fact that the body is an incredibly complex machine,
But fuelled primarily and most simply by air.
Have you ever thought about this?
And what does air provide?
Oxygen.
And what does oxygen provide?
Energy.
And don't we all want more energy to live a fulfilled and healthy lifestyle?
The most natural way of all to help heal the body,
To alleviate tiredness,
And to calm the mind,
Is to breathe well.
You may find it a little difficult at first,
To alter the breathing patterns with which you have become accustomed,
And which you have created over a long time,
Assuming of course that there is room for improvement,
And of course there is always room for improvement.
But it will be beneficial for you to realise that you are selling yourself short by continuing on with poor breathing habits.
So let us practise something very simple to breathe away tiredness.
Lie down,
With legs separated about hip-width apart,
And arms gently nestled beside you,
In a well-ventilated room,
And be as comfortable as possible.
Breathe as peacefully as you can at this moment,
Whatever that means for you.
Don't place any rules or demands upon yourself.
It is just breathing.
Eyes softly closed,
The body melting into the earth.
As you breathe in,
Imagine your whole being is filled with energy.
Just focus upon the in-breath for a little while.
Perhaps focus on breathing in peace,
Vitality,
And contentment.
And slow your breathing down a little if that is possible.
Eyes remain silent for a minute or so as you do this.
Now,
Let us focus on the out-breath.
Imagine sending out a tiredness and tension.
You may even find it helpful to picture yourself releasing the tension you have accumulated in your muscles,
Through the pores of your skin,
And with every breath you release.
Is your jaw soft?
Are your hands and fingers unclenched?
Is your back settling into the earth?
Again,
I shall remain quiet for a little while as you observe and feel,
Just in and out,
Nothing more.
Now,
Let that pure focus go and notice how you are feeling as a whole,
From head to toe.
How do we create tiredness?
Well,
Could it be through accumulation of toxins in the body,
Poor diet for example,
Or overeating?
We have all experienced this.
What about suppressing negative emotions,
Pain and sorrow for example?
What about worrying?
What about fear?
What about being angry?
What about detrimental thoughts,
Beliefs and attitudes?
Just a thought.
And now,
Let us return to the actual practice again.
As you breathe in,
Imagine your whole being is filled with energy.
Just focus upon the in-breath for a little while.
Perhaps focus on breathing in peace,
Vitality and contentment.
I shall remain silent for a minute or so as you do this.
Focus on the out-breath.
Imagine sending out tiredness and tension.
Picture yourself releasing the tension you have accumulated in your muscles with every out-breath,
Perhaps through the pores of your skin.
Again,
Is your jaw soft?
Are your hands and fingers unclenched?
And once again,
I shall remain quiet for a little while as you simply observe and feel.
Now,
Let the pure focus go and notice how you're feeling as a whole from head to toe.
And once more,
Let us do this one more time.
As you breathe in,
Imagine your whole being is filling with energy.
Just focus upon the in-breath for a little while.
Breathing in peace,
Vitality and contentment again.
Whatever they may feel like for you.
I shall remain silent for a minute or so as you practice this once more.
There comes a point when focusing in this manner,
You begin to feel a sense of deep,
Deep contentment,
Calm and clarity.
A little focus for a little time throughout the day may help you to boost your energy,
Strengthen your immune system and breathe away tiredness.
And so,
What is the best thing to remember here?
Nothing more than just breathe.
