Breath is the great equalizer. Every being on the planet needs to breath, to some capacity or another. Plants, even, respire. Almost all creatures “just breath” as nature intended. Our bodies automatically breathe, and yet we have an incredible ability to control and affect our breath to ensure our body gets what it needs. That is where our differentiator as people seeking growth and expansion comes in handy. Our greatest hidden (in plain sight, or breath!) asset can be utilized to achieve some of our greatest results in changing our life to be what and how we want it to be.
Common or popular practices such as diaphragmatic breathing (aka belly breathing), pursed lips breathing, and breath focus techniques are great for beginners. Each of these can be used to slow our breath to activate our parasympathetic nervous system, or “rest and digest.” More ambitious methods
include Holotropic breathwork, Wim Hof method, and alternate nostril breathing. With many of these we are able to speed up our breath to activate our sympathetic nervous system, or “fight or flight.” Box breathing, or 4-4-4-4 is great for a calm focus, and is used by many first responders.
One of my favorite aspects of breath is the almost immediate effect it can achieve to help me reset my mental space and prepare for whatever is coming. It elevates my spirit. It can even lead to hallucinogenic experiences, depending on how long is spent with a particular technique. It can enhance sensual and sexual experiences. It can expand our consciousness. It provides a sense of control over body and mind. And in this chaotic world, it grounds me. Breath brings me back to my center with the ability to take a pause. Then I choose how I want to respond to something, instead of react. An intentional breath before saying or doing something, especially in the heat of the moment, can be the difference between defusing the situation or escalating to the point of regret. It allows the grace of a few moments todecide how to show up in the world.