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I hope the next 22’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.
4 THOUGHTS
1. Tied into the Universe of Physics
“The lungs are tied into the universe of physics like no other organ, perfectly using the space allotted to maximize flow. And optimizing flow, and movement, is clearly one of the purposes of life from a biological perspective.”
– Michael J Stephen, MD, Breath Taking
👏 👏 👏
***
P.S. And as one of my favorite teachers, R.M., wisely pointed out in response to this quote: “Perhaps we could say the same for every organ in the body.”
2. An Intriguing Situation
“This is an intriguing situation when we stop to think about it, for if it is true that breath influences both body and mind, then the rhythm and the rate of the breath would reflect not only one’s physical condition, but would also help to create it.”
Here’s another powerful reminder that, although breathing reflects our current state, it also shapes it:
Fast, shallow breathing reflects being anxious…but it can also cause anxiety.
Slow, deep breathing reflects being calm…but it can also create relaxation.
This is the true power of breath control. When used sensibly and safely, it can help us “create the physical condition” we’re after 👏
3. Three Random Breathing Thoughts
1. What exercise is to the body, what meditation is to mind, breathing is to the soul.
2. In many ways, mindfulness means ignoring our minds and listening to our hearts.
3. Slow, mindful breathing helps you feel underwhelmed for a change.
***
P.S. Number 1 was inspired by this quote: “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” - Sir Richard Steele
4. How to Overcome Obstacles to Daily Practice
“Diligence helps start you on your way, but the real solution to these obstacles is learning to enjoy your practice…Too often, people approach meditation as though they were taking medicine—it tastes bad, but they grin and bear it because it’s supposed to be good for them. Instead, make meditation into a pleasurable activity.”
With that in mind, we might ask, ‘How could I tailor my practice to bring me more joy?’ Remember: We’re not supposed to grin and bear it; we’re supposed to enjoy it 👏
1 Quote
“We have to keep having fun throughout our lives—it’s so important to do things purely for the joy of it.””
1 Answer
Category: Gene Expression
Answer: Slow breathing, through its activation of this psychophysiological response, may rapidly alter how genes are expressed.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
…
Question: What is the relaxation response?
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
P.S. a haunted house but…
Our Only Guide is Homesickness
“We have no one to guide us. Our only guide is our homesickness.”
– Herman Hesse
This perfectly captures the essence of becoming a Mixed Mindful Artist. We don’t focus on one method that worked for someone else; instead, we let our homesickness—our own intuition—guide us while using wisdom from great teachers and scientists to support that journey. If you’re ready to find your way home, get started today.
The Breathing App for Diabetes
This is the first program specifically made for people with diabetes to help manage their stress through breathing and mindfulness practices. In addition to the amazing program inside the app, we have some really neat things coming up, so sign up now!
Amazon Associate Disclosure
I’ve been recommending books for almost 6 years. Yet somehow, I just discovered that I could be an Amazon affiliate [face-palm]. In any case better late than never. Now, any Amazon link you click is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So, if you’d like to support my work, buying books through these links is helpful : )
* An asterisk by a quote indicates that I listened to this book on Audible. Therefore, the quotation might not be correct, but is my best attempt at reproducing the punctuation based on the narrator’s pace, tone, and pauses.