Find Your Breath

The premise of this is relatively simple. Find your breath. But what does it really mean? In short, it means a lot of things. It was not that long ago that I was having trouble sleeping due to lack of energy, a poor work schedule, general anxiety about my job, and just unhappiness. I had to discover a way to counter all this but money was limited, and frankly, it still is. Where did I turn? YouTube. Behold, the greatest power in my life was in the hands of people I never knew and never will. What I discovered was incredible.

This started my search for sleep meditation and anxiety help, and what I found were some great remedies for a lot of things in my life. And where did it all start? It started with my breath. And it's not just your breath, it's the power in your mind to reduce your anxiety and worries just through meditation. My focus  became slow, deliberate breathing. Long breaths in and long breaths out. When I really concentrated on this for minutes at a time I found that my brain was put into a different state. I could feel my blood pouring into places more vibrantly than ever before. My heart would get a little stronger and and my anxieties lessened. It was a simple step that seemed almost too easy, but it does take effort, especially to repeat this meditation.

Now this might not be groundbreaking material for most of you but it is a reminder to appreciate everything that we have. But it is more than mental well being; physically you can alter sensations and heal yourself like you are your own shaman. During meditation, once you have captured your breath, start scanning your body. That crick in your neck, the pain in your lumbar region, or even a sore foot can feel better with just a little concentration. Do a body scan and try and figure out where things feel off and essentially "let it go" like it is literal dust in the wind. Focus on the specific area and think about the pain escaping out of the body. If thoughts of your day sweep in your brain push them aside and stay in the moment. Really try to listen to what your body is saying and embrace it. While you will not be fixing broken bones or curing cancer, you are living a healthier life and improving your state of mind.

After I had practiced this meditation just once my sleep became much better, and deeper too. In addition with getting a new job and exercising more, many of my day to day issues minimalized. Now the challenge is not just to find your breath, but too also discover it, because you're not just discovering your breath, you're discovering the world around it in ways you may have never thought about it. When you are chowing down on your next pepperoni pizza feel its ingredients hit each taste bud. Be thoughtful when you take a drink of water down and it whistles beneath your pallet. Watch and listen to a raindrop as it splashes against your window sill. Take note of the rustling leaves flowing in a cool summer breeze. Do all of this with relaxed, deep breathing and see how the world around you is effected. Feel as if every moment in your life is the most important you have ever experienced.

Finally, remember to take time for yourself each day to be without distraction, where you can really focus on yourself and recharge for whatever you need. Think about the famous Bill Murray line in Caddyshack of  "total consciousness." Maybe it isn't as far off as you had previously thought. Keep your focus and determination and slow yourself down and discover your life, you won't regret it.