The Mind Illuminated

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A 10-15-75 Formula, Laughter, and a Menu of Mind-Body Benefits

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Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

Reading Time: 1 min 38 sec

I hope the next 20’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. A 10-15-75 Formula for Thinking

“There is a formula for this: 10 percent of thinking can be concerned with the past, 15 percent with the future, and the remaining 75 percent with the present. When we live mostly in the present, we can move easily, step by step. We can respond to events with an open heart and an open mind.”

– Satish Kumar, Elegant Simplicity

I love this idea. Instead of saying we should “always be in the present,” it reminds us that we will, of course, spend time thinking about the past and future—that’s part of being human. So, our aim is just to do our best to live “mostly in the present” so we can “respond to events with an open heart and an open mind.” 👏

2. A Menu of Mind-Body Benefits

“The real power of breathing comes from the way that we can also control the rate and depth…and choose from a menu of body–mind benefits. … We can use it to calm down, focus and think about what to do next. With a little practice we can also use breath control techniques to escape from reality for a while, taking a well-earned break from both body and mind. … All are easy to do and can make a significant difference to how you think and feel—for solid physiological reasons.”

- Caroline Williams, Move

👏 👏 👏

3. Three Random Breathing Thoughts

1. Mindfulness is thought meteorology; breath control is weather modification.

2. Sometimes the most mindful thing you can do is let your mind wander.

3. Your current state of mind is the average of your last five breaths.

4. The Breathing Baywatch?

“I think laughter is the best medicine. If you can’t laugh at yourself, then you can’t laugh at life and the silliness of it all.”

– David Hasselhoff

Did I just quote Hasselhoff in a newsletter about breathing and mindfulness? Yes, yes I did 😂 But this is a great quote and a great reminder to laugh this week—it’s the best breathing exercise around.

1 Quote

“Awakening is an accident, but continued practice will make you accident-prone.””
— John Yates, PhD & Matthew Immergut, PhD

1 Answer

Category: Speed of the Nervous System

Answer: The fastest signals in the body, clocking in at 268 mph, travel along an alpha motor neuron in this long, tube-like structure.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is the spinal cord?

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. Big things coming

When You Get Tired

When you get tired of all the methods, all the promises and sales tactics, and when you realize that no one (yep, no one) has it all figured out, come check out the Breath Learning Center. We blend timeless wisdom, modern science, and self-intuition to create our own path. No empty promises or guarantees, just a thoughtful, caring place to discover what truly works for you. Learn more here.

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!

Learn more here.

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.

 
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Purely for Joy, Physics, and How to Overcome Obstacles

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Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

Reading Time: 1 min 46 sec

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.”

– Science of Breath

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.”

– The Mind Illuminated

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.””
— Gladys McGarey, MD

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!

Learn more here.

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.

 
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A Clearer Life, Quiet Joy, and 3 Random Thoughts

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Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

Reading Time: 1 min 38 sec

I hope the next 20’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. A Clearer and More Vivid Life

“Think about a digital photograph. The vividness and clarity of the image depend on the number of pixels. Likewise, the vividness and clarity of the meditation object depend on the number of perceiving moments of attention whose content is the meditation object.”

– The Mind Illuminated

Although it’s about meditation, this analogy is perfect for life as a whole. The more “perceiving moments of attention” we bring to what’s happening (aka mindfulness), the more “pixels” we’ll add to our life image, and the clearer and more vivid they will become 👏

2. Tuning Out from Reality (and skipping with fairies)

“If you are already breathing at a normal rate, slowing it down further still can change your state of mind to the point where you tune out from reality and skip happily away with the fairies.”

– Caroline Williams, Move

This quote made me laugh. It’s a fun reminder that, although the breath is a gateway to mindfulness, we can also use slow breathing as a mini retreat from life, allowing us to “tune out from reality and skip happily away with the fairies.” 😊

3. Three Random Thoughts

1. Breathing, with awareness, is gratitude.

2. If you follow your breath, you may actually end up where you’re going.

3. Right now, to get a fresh perspective, you can view the breath cycle as starting on an exhale rather than an inhale. The insight comes from remembering that we can do this with almost everything in life.

4. Be Weird

“We’re able to connect with life best when we get juice from multiple places. A puzzle piece doesn’t just click in on one side; it clicks in on two, three, or four. What that looks like varies from person to person.”

- Gladys McGarey, MD (103-years-old)

A reminder that breathing and mindful living are not about sitting cross-legged all day or becoming a zen master. They’re about becoming more us: allowing ourselves to be weird, embracing our varied interests, and connecting with life’s bigger puzzle on multiple sides 👏

1 Quote

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.””
— Ralph H. Blum

1 Answer

Category: Skin and Nervous System

Answer: Slow breathing helps to reduce this skin-associated measure, which is thought to be a marker of nervous system activity.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is skin conductance?

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. a haunted house but…

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!

Learn more here.

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.

 
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How to Walk Farther, Mind Roots, and Breath & Gratitude

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Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

Reading Time: 1 min 41 sec

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.””
— John Yates, Ph.D., Matthew Immergut, Ph.D.

1 Answer

Category: Breath Coupling

Answer: This entrainment is the name given to our ability to coordinate breathing and vocalization.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What is respiratory-phonation coordination?

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!

Learn more here.

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.

 
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One of My New Favorites, Inhale, and 3 Reminders to Exhale

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Listen Instead of Reading

If you enjoy listening, you can subscribe to the audio version on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible so you don’t even have to look at the email 😊

Reading Time: 1 min 43 sec

I hope the next 21’ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.


4 THOUGHTS

1. One of My New Top 5 Favorite Studies (plus $1)

“When you control your breath, what you are actually doing is taking your brainwaves in hand and tethering the rate of their fluctuations to your breathing rate.”

– Caroline Williams, Move

The research Williams is referencing is a 2018 study that found that nasal airflow stimulation led to significant increases in theta and delta brainwaves while also inducing an altered state of consciousness.

It’s one of the coolest studies I’ve read. You can read it here.

***

P.S. Or if you'd like my in-depth review (available as a web article, PDF, and 13-minute podcast), including practical ways to apply the findings in your life, you can get it today-only for just $1.

2. Inhaling is a Spiritual Practice

“With mindfulness, you breathe in, and there you are, well established in the here and the now. Breathing in, touching your full aliveness, is a spiritual practice.”

– Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Breath

That’s so good. It reminded me of this wisdom from Rick Rubin:

“Taken more spiritually, inspiration means to breathe life into. An ancient interpretation defines it as the immediate influence of the divine.”

They’re perfect reminders that we can experience the “immediate influence of the divine” and “touch our full aliveness” at any moment by practicing mindful breathing 🙏

3. Three Reminders to Exhale

1. Here’s a metaphor for saying, “extend your exhale,” which we can apply to all aspects of life: Give more than you receive.

2. “For the lungs to draw in air, they must first be emptied.” - Rick Rubin

3. “The key to breathing, lung expansion, and the long life that came with it was on the other end of respiration. It was in the transformative power of a full exhalation.” - James Nestor

4. Better Friends with Everybody Around Us

“Joyfulness keeps the heart and face young. A good laugh makes us better friends with ourselves and everybody around us.”

– Orison Swett Marden

And to wrap up, here is your reminder to take part in the most therapeutic breathing practice of all: laughing 😊

1 Quote

“Mindfulness allows us to recognize our options, choose our responses wisely, and take control over the direction of our lives.””
— The Mind Illuminated

1 Answer

Category: Brain

Answer: These rhythmic patterns of electrical activity (aka neural oscillations) are generated by neurons and help send information across different regions of the brain.

…

(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)

…

Question: What are brainwaves?

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

P.S. “you’re so chill”

Stop Specializing

Embrace a more thoughtful approach to a life of love, wisdom, purpose, and joy: become a Mixed Mindful Artist. Instead of trying to fit into a single method, you can integrate the principles of breathing, meditation, and mindfulness to find a balanced and adaptable practice that supports your well-being in every stage of your life. 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!

Learn more here.

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.