The advice given to me when I am anxious or stressed is to breathe, Although I literally understood breathing, the notion of breathing when filled with anxiety or stress, did not resonate with me.
Fast forward to day 10 of Oprah & Deepak’s Perfect Health 21 Day Meditation, the subject was “Breathing for Balance”. The centering thought, “I am one with the breath of life”.
The message started with a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh: “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
Deepak goes on to add “ . . . conscious breathing can shift our perception. When we close our eyes and simply witness the breath as it flows in and out of our nostrils, we invite peace and balance into our lives, bathing our brains and every cell of our bodies in energy and vitality.”
This coupled with the Sanskrit Mantra So Hum (I am) and the instructions to breath in silently with So and breath out silently with Hum.
A breakthrough moment for me, conscious breathing as an anchor and to center, yes to eliminate anxiety and stress, and as a daily practice.
Namaste.