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I hope the next 20’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.
4 THOUGHTS
1. The Roots of Training the Mind
“Relaxation is the basic competency in meditation that enables all the others. Mind training without relaxation is like a tree without strong roots—it is not sustainable. The skillful trainee establishes relaxation first and then builds on top of it.”
– Chade-Meng Tan, Joy On Demand
And what’s the fastest way to establish relaxation? Slow breathing, of course 😊. Thus, a quick 5-minute slow breathing practice before meditation can act as the roots of our mind-training program.
2. Walk Farther Without Feeling Exhausted
“Efficient breathing allows our bodies to be properly oxygenated, enabling us to walk farther without feeling exhausted. Many of us don’t breathe properly as we exercise, gulping rapidly at air through our mouths rather than matching our (full, nasal) inhalations to our stride. When we walk to the rhythm of our breath—or even breathe to the rhythm of our feet—we slow and lengthen our breathing. In combination with good posture, paced rhythmic breathing means that demanding mountain ascents and lengthy treks feel less tiring.”
– Annabel Streets, 52 Ways to Walk
👏👏👏
3. Three Thoughts on Breathing and Gratitude
1. The best practice for breath appreciation is getting a stuffy nose.
2. Physiological gratitude occurs 20,000 times a day in the space where an exhale ends and an inhale begins.
3. Take a few breaths and say, “This is great! I have an abundance of the most valuable resource known to our species, and I don't even have to work that hard to get it!”
4. How to Have Happiness Immediately
And to wrap-up, here’s a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh, who has a knack for making some of the more “woo-woo” and idyllic ideas of meditation concrete and actionable:
“Breathing and walking with awareness generates the energy of mindfulness. This energy brings our mind back to our body so that we’re really here in the present moment, so we can be in touch with the wonders of life that are there inside us and around us. If we can recognize these wonders, we have happiness immediately.”
1 Quote
“Repeating simple tasks with a clear intention can reprogram unconscious mental processes. This can completely transform who you are as a person.””
1 Answer
Category: Breath Coupling
Answer: This entrainment is the name given to our ability to coordinate breathing and vocalization.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
…
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
P.S. another day, another reason to…
There Is No Path
“Traveler, there is no path. The path is made by walking.” – Antonio Machado
Your breath, your mind, and your awareness are your most powerful tools for living a fulfilled life. Don’t limit yourself to one method or feel guilty about your varied interests—these are what make you, you. Embrace your curiosity and explore different teachings, understand their core principles, and forge your own path. Learn more.
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.