i am this breath: a practice for uncertain times
Originally posted on March 19, 2020
I wrote this post at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during lockdown, when fear was and uncertainty were gripping us collectively. The message feels resonant this week with the political situation here in the U.S., so I’m dusting it off and sharing it again. I don’t have a recorded audio for this practice, but I might have to make one to add to this post so you can follow along- I’ll add it here once I get it recorded. I hope this offers a moment of connection for you <3.
With the rise of the new COVID-19 global pandemic (edit: now, a second Trump presidency) and all ensuing changes and uncertainty, stress and anxiety are understandably heightened for many. Stress can arise from navigating rapidly changing individual circumstances, but it can also arise in response to sensing the collective fear that has become more salient with media coverage of the pandemic (edit: Trump’s inauguration). Fear, anxiety, anger, and many other emotions are normal responses to our current situation. However, one of the best things we can do for our community, locally and globally, is to care for our own mental, emotional, and physical wellness. As part of a collective ecosystem and earthbody, our actions and emotions reverberate throughout the living system of humans, other beings, and the earth. When we allow our heart to close in response to fear arising, we begin to separate ourselves from the very connections- even remotely or energetically- that help us to heal.
Yoga and breathwork can be wonderful sources of support during times of heightened stress and transition to foster ease, calm, and peace in the body, mind, and heart. The following practice is a way to connect to your breath as a form of soothing your nervous system and softening your heart space. If you’d prefer a recorded breath practice to follow along with, you’ll find a link to a YouTube video of a similar practice at the end of this post.
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha (Collective transcendence beyond all suffering) <3
Practice below:
Photo by Bailey Zendel via Unsplash
When you bring your attention to your breath, in that moment you become your breath. Even in stillness, your breath moves through you. As feelings of restlessness, anxiousness, fear, or agitation arise, turn to the rhythm of your breath. Inhale. Exhale. Allow your breath to rock your nervous body and mind and feel the bottoms of your feet on the earth. We are connected through our collective breathing, through the rhythms of the earth. Feel your chest rise, and soften. Notice your ribcage expand, and return. Notice also the pause at the top of your inhale, at the bottom of your exhale. The breath contains stillness as much as it contains movement. Inhale, gather. Exhale, release. Gather any present emotions with the rising inhale, and then visualize them flowing through on your exhale. Fear is a natural response to uncertainty, as are anxiousness, agitation, and grief—allow yourself to feel what needs to arise. Rest your hands on your heart with tenderness. Breathe here. Soften here. Notice any catching or resistance in your breath, and imagine your breath becoming smoother, softer. Visualize your breath creating more space in your body in any spaces that feel constricted or tense. Allow your breath to fortify you, but also to bring you more fluidity and ease. Inhale, I am (So). Exhale, that (Hum). I am universal consciousness. I am this breath. I am this moment.
Peace, peace, peace
Shanti, shanti, shanti
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