Listen Instead of Reading
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4 THOUGHTS
1. High-Intensity Interval…Breathing?
Here’s why we should add intensity of intention to mindful breathing:
“[T]he more intensely you are attending to the present moment, the more temporary freedom you gain from regrets about the past and worries about the future. Furthermore, the more intensely you practice, the longer the benefits linger after the practice.”
- Chade-Meng Tan, Joy On Demand
So, the more intensely you focus on the breath, the greater joy you experience, and the longer the benefits linger. Sounds good to me.
Practically, one way of doing this is through what we might jokingly call High-Intensity Interval Breathing: Instead of a continuous 20-minute mindful breathing session, break it into four “intense” 4-minute sessions, with a 1-minute break between each.
Give it a try and see if you like it 🙏
2. Make a Good First Impression
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
– Will Rogers
Each morning, when we wake up, we meet a new day. We can make a good first impression by doing our breathing practice first thing.
The day will like you more (and treat you kinder).
***
P.S. Aim for consistency: Each day you meet is different, and today doesn’t remember yesterday’s introduction 😊
3. Picturing Trampolines: A Trick for Staying Present
Here’s a trick the staff psychologist for British Rowing offered in the 2003 World Championships to help the rowers focus on the process instead of the outcome:
“The rowers were instructed to picture a trampoline at the finish line, tipped onto its side so that any thought of theirs that jumped ahead to the outcome would bounce back to the present moment. They bought into it and it worked.”
– Matt Fitzgerald, The Comeback Quotient
That seems like it would be a helpful visualization in all of life 👏
4. Becoming More Present, Joyous, and Warm-Hearted
“The benefits of quieting the mind include becoming more calm and clear. But resting in pure awareness goes a step beyond this sense of quiet. Richard Davidson, who studied the brains of highly advanced yogis who had attained this level, tells me that he had never met any group of people so present, joyous, and warm-hearted.”
- Daniel Goleman, Why We Meditate
In my opinion, that last sentence answers the book title: We meditate (or do breathing, yoga, etc.) to become more present, joyous, and warm-hearted.
1 Quote
“I can only meditate when I am walking, when I stop I cease to think; my mind only works with my legs.””
1 Answer
Category: Stress Hormones
Answer: This “breathing exercise” has been shown to significantly reduce cortisol, one of the primary stress hormones.
…
(Cue the Jeopardy! music.)
…
Question: What is laughter?
Don’t forget to get your dose today : )
In good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
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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.