More Quotes on Breathing

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I hope at least one of these quotes inspires you and supports your new practice of slow, deep, gentle breathing.

 

Every day is a new beginning. Take a deep breath. Smile, and start again. – Author Unknown

Deep breaths are like little love notes to your body. – Author Unknown

Change your breathing, change your life. – Author Unknown

Remember, as long as you are breathing it’s never too late to start a new beginning. – Author Unknown

As you waste your breath complaining about life, someone out there is breathing their last. Appreciate what you have. – Author Unknown

Breathe in the good shit. Breathe out the bullshit. – Author Unknown

You’ll never really see how toxic someone is until you breathe fresher air. – Author Unknown

Focusing on the act of breathing clears the mind of all daily distractions and clears our energy enabling us to better connect with the Spirit within. – Author Unknown

Deep breathing brings deep thinking and shallow breathing brings shallow thinking. – Author Unknown

Breathe, it’s just a bad day, not a bad life. – Author Unknown

Inhale the future, exhale the past. – Author Unknown

Just breathe. – Author Unknown

 

I hope you found at least one quote that you like.  Keep it handy and refer to it often.  And keep breathing slowly, deeply, and gently! 

Enjoy!

Please forward this post to your friends and family.  Thank you!

Your Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren

 

 

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Optimum Times for Your Breathing Practice

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Experts will tell you that first thing in the morning and last thing at night are excellent times for a breathing practice. This is because the conscious mind is quiet at these times, making the subconscious easier to access.

I agree with this.   However, I’ve found that any time is a good time to take a moment and do your breathing practice!

Here are times when I pause to breathe slowly, deeply, and gently:

• during rush hour traffic!!!!
• when there is a lot of pressure at work;
• when co-workers, friends, family, loved ones are getting on my nerves;
• when I feel overwhelmed, scattered, and don’t know what to do next;
• when I’m worried, anxious, or fretting over something;
• when I’m sad (it helps me process the sadness and understand where it’s coming from)
• when I’m angry or frustrated or feeling impatient;
• when I’m disappointed or feeling discouraged….

I find that when I take 5 minutes to do a slow, deep, gentle breathing practice I gain control of my emotions. I can take a longer view of situations and feel more hopeful about my options. I may still have uncomfortable feelings but they are no longer running the show. I can experience them without being steamrolled by them.

Turn to your breathing practice the next time you’re feeling out of sorts. Let me know how it works out for you.

Please share this post with your friends and loved ones. Thank you!

Your Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren

Quotes on the Power of Breath by Thich Nhat Hanh

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Here are some quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh that underscore the importance of slowly, deeply, gently breathing:

 

Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.

 

 Whenever we are carried away by our thinking, when we are overwhelmed by strong emotions, or when our minds are restless and dispersed, we can return to our breathing.

 

Your breathing should flow gracefully, like a river, like a water snake crossing the water, and not like a chain of rugged mountains or the gallop of a horse. To master our breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds. Each time we find ourselves dispersed and find it difficult to gain control of ourselves by different means, the method of watching the breath should always be used.

 

 Anger is like a storm rising up from the bottom of your consciousness. When you feel it coming, turn your focus to your breath.

 

It’s like when you’re flying in an airplane. Whenever severe turbulence comes along, the seatbelt keeps you from getting thrown around the cabin. Mindful breathing is your seatbelt in everyday life—it keeps you safe here in the present moment. If you know how to breathe, how to sit calmly and quietly, how to do walking meditation, then you have your seatbelt and you’re always safe.

 

Breathing mindfully, you are already finding a refuge in your breath, and you become aware of what’s going on in your body, your feelings, your perceptions, your mental formations, and your consciousness. 

 

Let me know which of these quotes are your favorites.  Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.  Thank you!

Please share this post with your friends and family.  Thank you!

Your Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren

 

Breathing Slow and Easy

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Sometimes we get ourselves all gummed up about the things we want to do. We over-think them and make them way more complicated than they need to be.

 

Is this how you’re feeling–frustrated because this seems to hard and is too much to handle? I know I’ve caught myself nearly hyperventilating because I was thinking too much about breathing into my diaphragm then into my lungs and trying to really fill them all the way up to the tippy top.

Oy!

I had to remind myself that all we’re intending to do with this breathing exercise is to slow down and to allow the breath to come into and out of our bodies gently and naturally.   When we slow down, we relax (at least a little bit!). When we relax our muscles aren’t constricting our torsos and abdomens and our bodies can then naturally breathe deeper.

This isn’t about forcing air in or forcing it out. It isn’t about filling our lungs so full that we feel as if we’ll pop!

Slow and easy.   That’s what it’s all about.

Take 5 minutes right now to sit quietly, relax your chest and neck, and slowly, gently, allow the air to come into your body. Then slowly and gently allow the air to leave your body. Repeat this sequence for 5 minutes. I’ll bet you’ll feel better afterward!

Let me know in the comments below! Thanks!

Feel free to forward this post to a friend or loved one. Thank you!

Your gently and slowly breathing Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren

Breathing Slowly and Deeply: Why are we doing this??

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If you truly want to craft your very own soul prospering life, the first step is slowing down and breathing.

 

As I mentioned in the May Day post, there are many physiological and psychological benefits to putting aside as little as 5 minutes to breathe deeply and slowly. 

A more important reason, though, is to FINALLY hear your True Self think!

Your True Self has been talking to you all along through your intuition, gut reactions, emotions, and even your aches and pains.  Slowing down and breathing deeply helps you calm the part of you that’s attached to the outer world so that your inner world finally has a chance to be heard!  And listened to, and FOLLOWED!

Yes, it’s that simple to finally hear your True Self.

And that’s the whole point of breathing slowly and deeply. 

Enjoy it!

Please share this post with your loved ones and friends, or with someone that you think might benefit by it.  Thank you!

Your Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren

Time to Breathe

 

5 minutes. That’s all it takes.

Today, gift yourself with a few moments to sit quietly and breathe.

Let your body relax for a few moments. Let your muscles unfurl and allow your bones and skeleton to do its work and hold you up.   If you are sitting or lying down, allow the chair or bed to support you and hold your weight. Your body, your muscles, tendons, ligaments, can all let go and relax.

Now, take a long slow deep breath in. Allow the air to come into your lungs rather than forcing it in. How ever the air is coming into your body on the intake is just fine.

Now, allow that breath to slowly leave your lungs. How ever it leaves your body is just fine. If you can expel deeply, getting out all the old, stale air at the bottom and the edges of your lungs, then that is fine.   If not, that is fine, too.

How ever you are slowly and deeply breathing in and slowly and deeply breathing out is just fine.

Relax.

You’re doing it right!

 

 

Breathe in long, slow, and deep.

Now breathe out as slowly and deeply as you can.

 

Breathe in long, slow, and deep.

Now breathe out as slowly and deeply as you can.

 

Breathe in long, slow, and deep.

Now breathe out as slowly and deeply as you can.

 

 

Do this for at least 5 minutes. It’s fine to do this longer but even just 5 minutes is amazingly beneficial.

Enjoy! Have fun with this! You are doing it just right!

Your Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren

May Day: Breathe Deep and Slow

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Happy May Day!

Here in the Northern Hemisphere Spring is in full swing. Flowers are everywhere, trees and shrubs are blooming, and pale green leaves are gently unfurling, ready for a new year. It’s a perfect time to breathe deeply and slowly.

We don’t breathe enough.   Or, I should say, we don’t pay attention to how we breathe. Most of us are shallow breathers, never really filling our lungs and oxygenating our systems.

Our breath cleans and refreshes our bodies. It calms our minds and nervous systems. It helps revitalize and rejuvenate our cells.

Join me this month in regularly taking a few moments to slow down and breathe.

Thank you!

Your Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren

Sitting In Silence Day 10

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Here’s I added in my sitting in silence session today:

All is well.

I also continued with yesterday’s thoughts:

Something Better is Up Ahead!

and

Thank you!

How are your sessions of sitting in silence going? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.  Also, please share these posts with your friends and loved ones. Thank you!

Your Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren

Sitting In Silence Day 9

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Here’s what I’m sitting in silence with today:

Something Better is Up Ahead!

and

Thank you!

How about you?  What are you sitting in silence with?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.  Thank you!

Your Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren

 

30 Days of Gratitude to Finish 2020: Day 31

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Happy Last Day of 2020!

Today is also the last day of this series of 3 Gratitudes.  I hope, though, that you continue each day to think of at least 3 things you’re grateful for.  Scientists have proven the immense physiological and psychological benefits of gratefulness and, of course, for centuries spiritual leaders have been telling us that being grateful is the right way to live life.

In keeping with my challenge this week, these are 3 gratitudes related to difficulties:

The difficulty:  Yesterday we discovered another setback knotted up in the mess of our beloved family member’s finances.  After a year of digging through the muck and mire, it’s very, very discouraging to still be finding surprises.

• I am grateful I have a team of family members standing strong and helping me to stand strong during this continuing discovery and working-through-to-solutions process;
• I am grateful for these heartbreaking difficulties because they’re teaching me that it’s possible to take the next tiny step, in spite of my overwhelming desire to run far, far away;
• I am grateful that I’ve learned to lob myself softballs when looking for the tiny next step to take—find the little bit of action I can take that’s well within my capabilities, that’s easy for me to do.
• Bonus gratitude:  I am grateful for the deeper compassion I have developed through this process of caring for my loved one.  I am much more attuned and sensitive to people who are vulnerable.  I do what I can to help and protect them, including supporting agencies, organizations, and individuals who are also watching out for and protecting people who are very vulnerable.

Feel free to share in the comments below the difficulties for which you are grateful.  Thank you!

If you think these posts will benefit loved ones, friends, and others you know, please feel free to share them!  Thank you!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I’m excited for the Big Adventure awaiting us in 2021!

Your Friend and Pep Pal,

Lauren