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I hope the next 23’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.
4 THOUGHTS
1. There, I Have Pacified Your Mind
This passage comes from Advice Not Given by Mark Epstein, MD. It’s a Zen story about Bodhidharma, a famous Buddhist monk, and Huike, who was intent on learning from him:
“Huike says to Bodhidharma, when finally given a chance to speak to him directly, ‘My mind is anxious. Please pacify it.’
To which Bodhidharma replies, ‘Bring me your mind, and I will pacify it.’
Huike says, ‘Although I've sought it, I cannot find it.’
Bodhidharma then says, ‘There, I have pacified your mind.’”
2. Wherever You Find Yourself
“The breath accompanies you the full length of life’s road: you learn about the body, feelings, mental formations, the mind itself, and, finally, the lawfulness of impermanence and emptiness of a substantial self.”
– Larry Rosenberg, Three Steps to Awakening
This is a wonderful reminder of the far-reaching utility of the breath. No matter what you’re currently interested in—the body, emotions, the mind, the self—the breath can be a metaphor or direct tool for studying it. As Rosenberg reminds us: “Wherever you find yourself, the breath is present.” 🙏
3. Smell the Flowers; Blow Out the Candles
“Just as emotions like worry and fear can trigger the body’s stress response, what we experience physically in the body can affect our emotions. Because of this, we can often begin to quiet our worries and calm the symptoms of anxiety simply by controlling one critical body function: breathing.”
– Jennifer Tucker, Breath as Prayer
Tucker provides a simple way to apply this: “Smell the flowers; blow out the candles.” Breathe in through your nose, into your abdomen, as if smelling flowers. Then, exhale slowly through pursed lips as if blowing out candles. Use it as needed today 🙏
4. A Test for You
“Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you’re alive, it isn’t.”
– Richard Bach
1 Quote
“The breath is not only a source of support for the physical body; it is also a support for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.””
1 Answer
Category: Circulation
Answer: After being inhaled, it takes oxygen about this long to circulate throughout the body.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
…
Question: What is around one minute?
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
P.S. 1890s guy
Breath Science & Wisdom Meditations for a Well-Lived Life
Learn to think, speak, and act in alignment with the person you want to be.
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
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* 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.