'the more intensely we feel about an idea or goal,the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious,
will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.'
- earl nightingale
'we can never obtain peace in the outer world
until we make peace with ourselves.'
- dalai lama
the past few weeks have been especially capital 'I' intense for a number of reasons... in that time, i have been unable to do any of my creative venturing, except for one little experiment ... & i am currently in withdrawal and hoping this week provides an opportunity for some 'me' time... this small copper charm is the single thing that was worked on... but has had more meaning than i had realized... it's been sitting on my table since i made it and viewed on a number of occasions just as a prompt for calm...
the importance of breath is a subject that is often discussed for many reasons... in anticipation, we 'hold our breath' or 'take a deep breath and jump'... these things create tension ... after having gotten through something difficult, we 'heave a sigh of relief' or exhale... this has a more relaxing effect... when we are trying to settle ourselves we inhale deeply and exhale slowly...taking 3 deep breaths can make you feel more aware and awake... being mindful of the breath can help you to be present... it is pretty amazing how quickly you can feel the physical change that accompanies the different types of breathing...
being present is where i need(ed) to be, being mindful of my breathing helped me through some 'challenges'... emotions become more calm and balanced, thinking is clearer, & even a moment of peace can be found... definitely an almost daily practice...
retrospectively, i think it was interesting that 'breathe' was the first word i choose to imprint into metal (with physical force - hammering it into my psyche?)... finding peace is a journey for me (& you i am sure) and this goes hand in hand with it...
two nights ago, i picked up the current copy of shambhala sun and was drawn into an article titled 'ready, steady, go'... it discusses how focusing the mind can have great advantages... it is very interesting and my ten word description pales if you are interested in the topic... 'the approach to harnessing our mind is by using the wind, or the breath.' ...
the importance of breath is a subject that is often discussed for many reasons... in anticipation, we 'hold our breath' or 'take a deep breath and jump'... these things create tension ... after having gotten through something difficult, we 'heave a sigh of relief' or exhale... this has a more relaxing effect... when we are trying to settle ourselves we inhale deeply and exhale slowly...taking 3 deep breaths can make you feel more aware and awake... being mindful of the breath can help you to be present... it is pretty amazing how quickly you can feel the physical change that accompanies the different types of breathing...
being present is where i need(ed) to be, being mindful of my breathing helped me through some 'challenges'... emotions become more calm and balanced, thinking is clearer, & even a moment of peace can be found... definitely an almost daily practice...
retrospectively, i think it was interesting that 'breathe' was the first word i choose to imprint into metal (with physical force - hammering it into my psyche?)... finding peace is a journey for me (& you i am sure) and this goes hand in hand with it...
two nights ago, i picked up the current copy of shambhala sun and was drawn into an article titled 'ready, steady, go'... it discusses how focusing the mind can have great advantages... it is very interesting and my ten word description pales if you are interested in the topic... 'the approach to harnessing our mind is by using the wind, or the breath.' ...
wind horse by beth hemmilathe author also shares info about tibetan warrior teachings...a concept called windhorse relates to vitality... while reading i immediately thought of beth's charm at hint... i have such respect for her ability to communicate a concept so simply and eloquently... i really could have one for all of my moods... but my lotus is a treasured friend... (i know material things are not supposed to have great significance, but i admit to my human frailty & tell you now i wear it daily)... i can feel in this charm, the meaning of the article, the power of the mind that can carry one forward in life when properly harnessed...
we enter the world with breath, we leave with its absence, and all of those inhalations & exhalations in between are opportunities to learn, helping us to find the inner peace that we so desire...
I like that Maire-- I tell myself to breathe all the time and when I'm trying to calm someone down-- one of the first things I say is breathe.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post! Thanks for the reminder of the importance of being in the present and of the almighty breath.
ReplyDeleteI too love Beth's work, she is such a talent
wow!! very very profound! what a wonderfully insightful post! love the charm of breath ... it's exquisite, it's perfect. hope you'll feel energized soon my fren :)
ReplyDeleteHello my dear :) Beautiful post and so true! I hope things are going ok despite the intensity (I was about to send a checking in email to YOU today!)
ReplyDeleteOh friend, I am right with you. I've been breathing (gnarling and grimacing) through some internal challenges since Thursday. Let's muddle our way through this, yes?
ReplyDeleteas there is only one other option - absolutely! thank you all for your wonderful comments... the sisterhood is really something i treasure!
ReplyDeleteInhale...Thank you for this post. I can certainly attest to the positive manifestations in my life since Kris and I started practicing breathing techniques together.
ReplyDeleteExhale...The other side of your intense week will likely provide even more AWESOME work from you, b/c when we get to the grit of things, sometimes we unearth diamonds.
So beautiful! Thanks so much for connecting Wind Horse to your thoughts on breathing. I yearn for the deepest breath ever, and yet I feel I still haven't experienced it. Loved this part "the power of the mind that can carry one forward in life when properly harnessed..."
ReplyDeleteYour post is stimulating a lot of ideas for me :) Namaste!
akilah, that is awesome that you guys practice together... and thanks for the silver lining that i sometimes forget for myself!
ReplyDeletebeth, thank you for creating images that implant themselves so deeply in my mind because they are just so essential...