“Breath is the most natural way to your heart.”
An anatomical and metaphorical truth, breath truly is the most direct vehicle to the heart. Our breath enters our body through our noses or mouths, travels down into our lungs and is then transported into our heart. And, while the breath is literally and metaphorically the most accessible tool to self-care and self-love, we easily, without thought, withhold it from ourselves.
When we get stressed, anxious, angry, upset, we hold tight, nearly closing our larynx and trachea, the pathway to the lungs. We unconsciously restrain our access to calm. Amit Ray said, “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”
Can you live in the breath? Can you take a moment to sit with your breath? Notice how it feels when you breathe into your heart – and into your belly. Notice how your breath moves your body as you inhale, and again as you exhale. Let your breath move you, notice what changes in your mind and body with a few conscious breaths.
It requires thought and intention to take a deep inhale, to feel the breath and allow it into the heart (and belly) to subdue our overactive minds and relax our often tense bodies. As stated Mind, Body, Spirit, it takes courage. So breathe.
With love and light,
Rachel P.S. Neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin along with other endorphins are produced in the belly. When you breathe into the belly the production of those neurotransmitters increases, allowing us to calm down and feel more relaxed and at ease. I’m a nerd for the amazing science behind what otherwise seems so mystical.
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