Don't Forget to Breathe with the Holidays!

James Island County Park
Festival of Lights Holiday Card

The other night I had a crazy, fierce allergy attack.  Some innocent, unknowing little allergen particle floated far up into my nasal cavity and reaped havoc on my being.  I was sneezing with such force that it literally almost knocked me off my chair.  One violent sneeze after another, sometimes 20 in a row, brought me down like a sick buffalo.

  After using almost a box of tissues and taking the maximum dose of Benedryl, I fell in a heap onto my bed and realized that I could not breathe... to the point of "scary not being able to breathe."  My sweet little bloated sinuses were so ballooned up and worn that they smothered my nose-breathing completely until I was gasping for air.  Yes, I'm probably being a bit dramatic here, but I want to be sure you get the idea that I couldn't breathe very well. 
It just so happened that around the time that I was gasping for fresh air (you know, the kind of breathing where you're mouth is totally hanging open and gulping for air - where you don't even know that you have a nose because it is utterly useless) -  I was also thinking about blog topics, and hence a blog about breathing was born.



Festival Of Lights Holiday Card

Because at that very moment, when I didn't have air, I realized the importance of it.  I needed it, and I didn't have it.  And I thought myself fortunate that, most of the time, I AM able to breathe.  There are many who have asthma and other breathing issues, and my heart goes out to all of them because breathing air is fundamental to our very existence.  I mean, really - without breath, there is no life.  And I often take my breath for granted.  So this post is a reminder to me and you, if you need reminding, that we are blessed to be breathing.

Festival of Lights Holiday Card

I took a Transformational Breathing Class a few years ago.  It was impressive and "transformational."  I've forgotten the techniques I was taught, but I did go back and re-read some of the instructor's statistics and info, and it's interesting how important, yet too often forgotten, our breath really is.  Being aware of our breath and knowing how to breathe properly are so beneficial to our health and happiness.  Breathing well supports all kinds of health benefits and is central to every aspect of our health.  So here are some thoughts from my instructor: 

-When we alter our breathing to a slow and deep mode, our blood pressure decreases.
-Breathing well helps us to cleanse the lymph system.
-Many diseases are caused by not enough oxygen at the cellular level.  Breathing well gives our cells that much-needed fresh oxygen that heals, regenerates, and restores our cells.
-Breathing well lowers our stress, brings us peace, and can increase our energy as well as our insight and clarity.
-Did you know that 70% of our energy comes from our breathing?  I had no idea.  That's incredible!!! 

Festival of Lights Holiday Card

Most of us tend to breath with small, shallow breaths.  Can you feel that sometimes?  Your breaths feel restricted... like someone is sitting on your chest or caging your breath.  Have you ever noticed that when you are stressed, worried, or fearful you tend to hold your breath?  I catch myself doing it a good bit.  This is the body's way of protecting us from our emotions to help us get through the present moment.  By holding the breath, our bodies are suppressing our emotional energy... kind of like absorbing the negative emotion into our bodies to keep us sane in that moment.  But keeping these emotions stuffed in our bodies for long periods of time can create a big old pile of "blah" that festers in our deepest corners causing negative health issues later.  

Festival of Lights Holiday Card

So next time you catch yourself breathing shallow, or literally holding your breath... be aware that this is a natural instinct, but that you can create a much healthier and happier existence if you take a few long deeeeeep breaths and exhale those sticky, dark thoughts, fears, or emotions.  And in turn, take a huge, fresh inhale of energy into your being.  

So how do we "breathe well?"

Are you inhaling deeply and fully into your belly?  They say this is key to good breathing.  Is your exhale an easy release, or do you blow and push the air out?  I just heard my husband, Terry, exhaling really hard the other day... almost sighing.... over and over again.  I suppose this is our body's way of releasing stress.  It's almost as if his body is MAKING him exhale so that he has to breathe deeper. But instead of putting your body under that stress in the first place, next time try to catch yourself and guide your breath into a flowing circle of inhales and exhales.  Try to think of your breathing as one continuous cycle of easy but deep connecting inhales and exhales.

Festival of Lights Holiday Card

Kind of cool to think that we have control of how we breathe.  We either limit or allow the amount of energy flowing through our bodies at all times.  We control that 70% of energy flowing through us by how we breathe.  As for me, I want the full 70% as much as possible!!!

So I put these "breathing well" strategies to the test the other day at the doctors office.  I was waiting to be "mammogrammed" and "ultrasounded" and get the results of a suspicious lump they had found earlier.  My mind went to places that it didn't need to go... you know what I'm talking about... foreseeing all the outcomes of different scenarios that I didn't need to be doing yet.  So I became aware of my breath, and for about ten minutes in the waiting room, I breathed well.  I felt so calm and peaceful.  The worrying literally went away quietly.  It really worked!  It really worked.  And, as a side-note, the test results were thumbs up good.

Festival Of Lights Holiday Card

So, I just want to remind you and me, in this busy but beautiful holiday season, to stop and listen, and be aware of your breath.  Just take some nice deep, slow breaths of open space into your body and soul.  Imagine that the breath you exhale is carrying with it your worries and stress and negative thoughts.  And the breath you are inhaling is filling up every one of your cells with clear, fresh energy and positive emotions, thoughts, and ideas.  Imagine that you are inhaling the potential of the rest of your day, and that you have the power to create your day however you want through the way that you breathe. 

So, today, I breathe WELL!  Deep and cyclical. Flowing. Connected.  I am aware of my breath and its beautiful energy flowing through me, my life force... renewing my cells, renewing my thoughts, creating peace and wellness.  Thank you for this energy of life...  thank you for my life force. I will use it well.

My favorite card of all...
My kids' homeschool group made this!

I appreciate your visit.
Enjoy a week of wonderful breathing!

Stacey