Just Breathe

Glacier Point, Alaska

There is something uniquely relaxing about regular and focused breathing. I get so involved in what I'm doing--whether walking or cleaning or weeding through emails--that I often forget to take those nice, deep, cleansing breaths that feel so good.

I was lucky enough to have a personal Pilates instruction last week led by one of my dearest friends who reminded me throughout about the rhythmic breathing to accompany each exercise, each movement. Just a deep breath in and a nice long exhale. I could almost feel it slowing my heart rate and helping me to be more mindful of what I was trying to do. Plus the exercises felt rejuvenating and calming at the same time.

Though not a yoga practitioner, I'm sure it's this regular and concentrated breathing that enables yoga aficionados to do such beautiful poses and feel a sense of calm and well being.

I have found that focusing on my breathing – deeply breathing, then exhaling -- has helped me through multiple medical procedures and trying situations in the past year: I used concentrated breathing during a long and uncomfortable dental procedure; breathing helped me to not obsess on the severe discomfort of a gyn procedure; focused breathing helped me to cope with 2 skin biopsies and a laser procedure which felt like bees stinging my skin. I find I also am concentrating on my breathing when in traffic jams or when going on a job interview. It's an amazing tool that I will continue to cultivate.

Now, what happens when told to take a breath...then don't move and don’t breathe? If you're like me, and you are also being squeezed in the gigantic machinery called mammography, you immediately can't breathe anyway and any semblance of relaxation is immediately dissipated. Poof! Inhale. I gasp for air as soon as I can pull away from the monster machine. Nope, breathing didn’t really help me through this one, but I won’t give up.

Imagine how focused breathing might change the world for the better if everyone learned to take a deep breath then exhale slowly on a regular basis or before they open their mouths to speak. Perhaps politicians could learn take a deep breath (or several) before making rude and insensitive remarks about colleagues or people who have different opinions than they do. People could be taught to take a deep breath when they are dissatisfied and frustrated in a restaurant, or a store, or in traffic. Young people could learn to breathe deeply and concentrate before lashing out in anger or using weapons to settle a dispute.  Maybe we need some deep breathing to open up civil discussions on health care for Americans.

Now, just breathe…