"the breath" - December Article for the Voice

Breathing is something we share with the earth. Trees, oceans and all living things on the earth breathe.
When I was a child, I would spend long periods of time trying to hold my breath. Through my yoga practice I learned to breathe again. From this renewed discovery, I learned that I could control my life if I could control my breathing. If anxiety gripped me, it was the breath that got me through. While learning to speak in front of a large group, it was the breath that kept me focused. Learning to control your breath not only causes a distraction, but also allows the body to regain composure and to relax. I welcome breath, I love it. It can take me where I need to go and is a constant comfort to me.
Fighting the need to breathe is something that we do everyday. The body reacts to stresses in life and we find our selves shortened on breath, while some of us do not breathe at all. Let’s look at the breath of a child. You will usually see a breath that is deep, a belly that moves to the breath and a fearless and primitive reaction in the need to feed the body oxygen.
The next time you are faced with a difficult situation, stop and take a moment to tune into your breath. Is it rapid? Erratic? Retained? Forget your situation and start from the basic inhale. Take your awareness to the depth of your belly and down into the root. Begin a deep inhale through your nose, imagining the breath filling your belly with calm and strength. Continue your inhale, slowly filling your belly and then your lungs with air. Once you have a full breath, begin the exhalation. As you exhale through your nose, become aware of the anxiety and the stress leaving your body. Watch it go. Continue this breathing until you feel a greater feeling of calm.
I use this technique almost everyday, effective at work or in my personal life.
When visiting the ocean, I am reminded that my breath is one with nature and the earth. A very simple way to see this clearly is to listen to the ebb and flow of the ocean. Become aware of the movement and match your own breath to that of the ocean. As the tide retreats, you inhale. As the tide moves into shore, you exhale. The tide’s repetitive movement is mesmerizing and relaxing, the awareness of the constant ebb and flow of your own breath can be relaxing as well.