Accessing Peace through Remembrance

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today.  Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”—Author unknown   

                      
Almost daily, when people find out I am a Yoga teacher, I am asked if there something they can do to solve this or that issue or relieve the stress they are feeling.  There are a multitude of techniques and practices that can impact our stress level and overall happiness in a positive way both in the moment and over time. However, as any student of Yoga knows, implementing any breathing technique, imagery or meditation is often destined for very limited results without some ground of habit and skill. That, of course, that comes from an ongoing and evolving practice of the art.

One example of this is the very simple notion that the most immediate indicator of emotional or mental state is the rhythm and placing of the breath. Ragged, rapid or shallow breathing can be indicator of mental or physical struggle, troubled emotional states, distracted or diminished focus and more. If we can change the quality of the breath, the mind state will shift accordingly. Relaxation or greater energy is often the immediate effect; new awareness and life changing perspectives over time are the greatest possible rewards. Remembering to practice this during stressful events and turbulent times is a challenge that can be more easily overcome through good habits a more regular practice can develop.

Through practice, breath can be a positive trigger to permit access to the calm amidst the storm of a distressed body and mind. In addition it can be the vehicle to bring remembrance of the 3 A’s” of awareness, acknowledgment and adjustment” that lead to a new paradigm of being with all sorts of life problems. We can use this transformational aspect to free us from the patterns that create the climate of disease and stress in life.

Reconnecting to ourselves in this way is a habit that can be built through practice in Yoga, meditation or other healing discipline to which we have committed. Remembrance of the breath (pranayama) is unique and central to many of these practices. Its power and importance lie in the immediacy of its effect on our experience and the central role it can take in leading the wayward mind and body into the present moment. From this powerful personal presence can spring a new and more evolved experience of life. 

Practically speaking, at the center of formal Yoga practice, coordinating breath in movement helps open the body and deepen our absorption in our sensations. We can consciously direct the sense of breath within to align the body, work more safely and deeply in Yoga postures, and consciously resolve the physical or energetic blockages that present themselves in the moment More importantly it affords us the ability to open to a deeper absorption in the moment through the highlighted experience of sensations. For those with busy lives whose spinning momentum of mind doesn’t lend itself to easy relaxation, the skills of concentration and focus gained from this entrainment of the mind on breath in movement are often a pre-curser to getting greater benefit from more contemplative practices. 

I believe that taking the practice of “taking a deep breath” toward the joy of an ongoing immersion in the moment is a lifelong experiment. From a five or ten minute calm sitting meditation in the morning, a mindful walk at noon, a weekly Yoga class experience or intense daily practice, we are benefited from some sort of skillful manner of checking in with ourselves. As the mind clears, the body strengthens and our energy reserves are buoyed, the commitment to our own path of inquiry can deepen. All this can come from the “inspiration” of the breath. 

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