~A Bitter Swallow~

I AM BREATHING.

I chose this word because it's something I do quite literally - but also with intention when I need to. When things start to get too stressful, stopping to take just one breath can oftentimes be sufficient enough of a pause to calm down at least enough to regain control of myself.

Not only does my breath help me to calm down during stressful situations, it also helps me connect to the world around me and everything in it. It helps carry my energy out into the world and I breathe in the energies that are around me. I can imagine those energies flowing in and out of me, carried on my breath. I can blow my intentions out into the wind to be carried along and dispersed to work their magic.

I can sit here and breathe, and feel that my body is alive. That I am here, and present.

One thing I would like to start doing is meditating. Not the intense, crazy cross-legged humming to myself for hours with a blank mind meditation.. because frankly I just don't see that ever being a state of mind I could achieve. If that is your thing- more power to you. You have way more self-control than I do. Also- way more flexibility.

I just want to be able to gain a little control. A little stillness. A little more intentional breathing. I'm not sure what that will look like yet- but when I think about being in a state of meditation it always makes me think of my breathing. So, I imagine that is where mine would at least start. After reading what I wrote above, I suppose I already kind of do. Perhaps I need to lean into those more.

So yes... I am breathing. Both literally and (in ways) metaphorically. I need to remember to continue to do that. When life hits me with whatever it's going to throw at me. Remember to just breathe.