I heard a yoga teacher say "The breath controls the mind and the mind controls the body." I liked where she was going with this thought but my mind immediately went to "So, there's the mind and body, where's the spirit?It's sad because the Spirit is the missing link in so many ways today and it is the Spirit that controls the breath! Without the awareness to choose to focus our breathing to calm the mind in order to relax the body, then complete relaxation and/or meditation will continuously be elusive. Our Spirit is what provides us with the strength to take the action we need to. It is the motivating factor towards happiness.
This idea can be applied to any situation that creates a feeling of uncomfortableness or unhappiness. We only need to tap into our Spirit to find the answer (action) we need in order to change our situation. I believe we all innately know what action is best for us if we sit quietly for long enough and listen. Every answer to every question is inside of us.
The only way to calm the mind is to come fully into the present moment. The fastest and easiest way to do this is by breathing long and deep and actually feeling the experience as it happens.
Because many of us have never done this and it is not the mainstream approach to reducing stress in our lives, this idea has been left to gurus and monks as something only the truly "spiritual" can tap into. This is so not true. It is available to everyone at any given moment. The proof is in trying it and your own experience.
A moment of peace of mind in a sometimes very loud, very chaotic mind can be all we need to make a start. With practice the moment becomes moments and then days, weeks, months and so on.
So when you are feeling stressed or unsure of what you are feeling, breath long and deep. Focus your attention on what it feels like to breath. This will calm the mind and the body. Then move your attention to Spirit that you are underneath it all and be grateful for the strength. Afterall, without the Spirit...there would be no breath and therefore no body.
2 comments:
Calm the mind with the breath and calm the breath with the spirit. Cool. I can't usually shut my mind downfor any period of time. Although for me, lately, I have had less and less to think about.
For example, I was pretty stressed about being stressed and was hoping, looking, asking for guidance from God, to help me out. I really meant help me out of some sticky situations at work. What I got was a new job.
I also prayed for feelings about an old flame to disapate. To smolder out and finally go away. I got another man in my life all together. A good man.
And for security I was constantly terrified that I was going to get fired. I asked for peace. It was not a fabricated fear. It was real and I would have survived but I didn't get fired. Again, I met someone that I can count on and that gives me piece of mind that if something happened to either of us, we'd help each other. I haven't had that before.
So back to the spirit. Today I am in a place where I am happy to ask God for some good things in my life. I get them. People say be careful what you wish for and I say that is correct. It may come tumbling at you like a ton of bricks. But so what. If it is god's plan then so be it. Abotu 3 weeks ago I was feeling VERY overwhelmed with the job change fast approaching and the wedding and the house, ect. But each thing worked itself out. And I am happy to report that today I am VERY happy and peaceful in my new job. It is even boring. That is totally new for me. I thrive on stress and intensity. Not in a bad way always - sometimes I am more effective with definitive deadlines and pressure.
Anyway as things come up and I ask God for the willingness to accept whatever he throws my way, I get answers and I feel better. I have some very specific things I want to pray for but I know better. I am not ready to get the answer I don't want yet. And more will always be revealed. It will.
I forgot about the breath thing. I'll write more later...
Profound my sista - thanks for this inspiring entry.
kk
Post a Comment