Breath: January 1 - 7

Everything breathes. I breathe. Trees breathe. The ocean breathes. The earth breathes. Often I sync up my thoughts with the ebb and flow of my breath.

As I breathe in, I open myself up to the day. I visualize light and love and joy surrounding me, filling my lungs, my heart, my body, and my soul. The in breath is nothing more and nothing less than an act of receiving.

The out breath is the second part of the process. It is a letting go, a release, and a surrender. With each exhale, I pour out that which no longer serves. I literally give part of myself to the world as an offering. As I have received a gift so now I give a gift.

What do you need to receive today? Breathe in.

What do you need to release today? Breathe out.

Practice

Use the breath as an anchor. Breathe in and know that you are breathing. Sense where the breath is most present in the body. Is it the nostrils, the throat, the belly?

As thoughts arise, return your awareness to the breath. This is the basic practice. Thoughts will surface over and over again. No worry. Thoughts are not distractions but invitations to return to awareness of the breath again and again. Returning to awareness is the essence of mindfulness.