Every breath we receive - a chance to reset

It’s so easy to forget that taking a few belly breaths can make such a difference to our well being.

Whether we’re stressed, anxious or just need a moment to slow down, bringing our awareness to our breath helps us relax and find peace.

It's a chance to reset.

“Deep breaths are like little love notes to your body.” ~ Unknown Author

We are taken care of

Happy, sad, drunk, asleep, on a high or a low – we are always breathing.

It’s not up to our conscious mind.

Thankfully.

Our autonomic nervous system takes care of us.

Taking in life-giving oxygen is an unconscious process.

It guarantees the energy released into our body cells.

It affects the chemical and physiological activities in all our bodily systems.

How we breathe matters

The way we breathe influences the amount of energy available to us.

It affects the overall functioning of our body.

It impacts our experience of life.

It also allows us to impact our autonomic nervous system and much more.

“Shallow breathing creates metabolic imbalance.
Deep rhythmic breathing nourishes the roots of our being.”
 
~ Mary Burmeister

Coming home to our body

Peace of mind can be a key benefit of breathing consciously.

Around the world different traditions have fine-tuned this practice.
 
Buddhist practices harness the breath to soothe our ‘monkey-mind’ – our restless, unsettled selves.
 
Breathing techniques are central to yoga, as master practitioner B.K.S Iyengar reminds us: “Regulate the breathing, and thereby control the mind.”
 
Zen-monk and mindfulness teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh echoes this: “Breathe in deeply to bring your mind home to your body”.
 
Meanwhile, Wim Hoff – affectionately known as ‘the ice man’ for his famed ice-baths - has spread awareness of the power of our breath for healing and the regulation of our body temperature.

Likewise, in the Art of Jin Shin our breath is primary. Jiro Murai, who rediscovered this gentle form of acupressure in the late 1900s, confirms: “The deepest help we have is first the breath, then the fingers.”

Our primary natural resource

Through the lens of Jin Shin our breath is a key source of energy and the most available of all our natural resources: every inhale fills us, not only with the tangible particles of air containing vital oxygen, but also with new cosmic life force.
 
As such, the rhythmic pulsation of life or “Universal breath” inherent in all natural phenomena - the cycles of day and night, new and full moon, ebb and flow - becomes manifest in our individual breathing patterns.

“The breath is the ultimate tool. Go into the breath.
Exhale and accept the gift that the universe is giving you with every inhalation.”
 
~ Mary Burmeister

Balance through breath

When our individual breathing patterns are in alignment with Universal Breath our body, mind and spirit are in harmony. 
 
When treating our selves or someone else with the Art of Jin Shin the intention is always to align individual and universal energy - in other words, to allow the body to come into rhythm with universal source energy, the pulsation of life permeating all living things.

In order to restore balance, we are invited to focus our attention on the exhale.

Consciously emptying ourselves of air and all it entails, allows us to effortlessly receive the next inhale of fresh, pure, life-giving energy.

“Receive the breath of life.
One need not take it”
 
~ Mary Burmeister

When we avoid exhaling deeply, we continue to hold on to tension and congested energy.

Our diaphragm remains contracted and our breath shallow.
 
Hence, Mary Burmeister invites us to “exhale to unload all dirt, dust and greasy grime” and to always simply “receive” rather than “take” a breath.

“Learn how to exhale, the inhale will take care of itself.”
 
~ Carla Melucci Ardito

Preventative health care at our nose tips

As we empty ourselves fully we are able to receive fully.

As we consciously release our breath, the next one comes easily, naturally, leisurely.
 
And...

you may feel inspired to take a moment to bring your awareness to just that.
 
Simply notice your breathing, without looking to change or fix anything.
 
Does it come easily? Or is it a little labored?
 
Are your breaths regular? Or are the inhale and the exhale of different lengths?
 
How is your diaphragm? How are your lungs and chest?
 
Where do you feel spacious or contracted?

Notice the sensation of air moving through your nostrils and throat as well.
 
Get a sense of your chest filling, lifting and dropping gently.
 
And your belly too.
 
Observe the universe that is set in motion with every sip of air you receive and release.
 
Innumerable air particles serve this process of metabolising energy, keeping us alive and kicking.
 
And, on that (love) note, it’s always good to remember…

“You’re alive and breathing.
That’s a fine reason to celebrate.”
 
~ John Landry

For related blogs see:

The Art of Jin Shin and the TARA Approach - Harmonizing Tools at Our Fingertips
Jin Shin Netiquette - Welcome to our 'Oasis of Calm'
Pay from the heart and our Jin Shin sessions

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