Chapter 1: The Awakening of Breath

This morning, I woke up and tuned into my breath. The moment I focused on it, it became a conscious act, as if my body was waiting for me to command an “inhale.” However, if I simply exhale and allow myself to relax, I can remain still until my body instinctively takes charge. I can truly sense the life force within me, where my body’s natural responses, triggered by elevated CO2 levels, prompt me to breathe in. If I let go, my body will handle it on its own.

What happens if I resist? If I attempt to halt this process? As carbon dioxide accumulates, my surroundings grow hazy, and the urge to say STOP diminishes…

And I breathe.

Recognize this sensation, this expansion that relieves tension; without tension, the air pressure will naturally fill your lungs. By concentrating on your EXHALATION and then relaxing, you enter the realm of being “Breathed,” where instead of inhaling, you exhale, unwind, and trust that your body knows what to do.

Can you discover that sensation? That instinct? The urge to inhale represents your true self—at least, it is closer to your essence than the name people call you. You can catch a glimpse of it, but if you try to look directly, you revert to conscious action.

Let it all go. Observe without attachment. If you remain cautious and serene, you may perceive not only the Breather but also the Observer. The moment you think “I,” it slips away once more.

That’s perfectly alright. Consider this subtle being—the one who breathes effortlessly, the one who observes without a name—as the closest you can get to understanding “who am I?” since the very question creates a divide.

Bring that amused awareness into your salutation. Exhale forcefully during contractions. Step beyond the mirror; instead of “exhaling on contraction,” leverage the contractions to prompt an exhalation. How must you move to facilitate the exhalation? How can you move to expand, allowing relaxation to create inhalation?

Volition plays a role, more so than if you were lying quietly in bed, observing. HOWEVER, it is indeed feasible to “rise on the bubble,” akin to the initial sensation in Tai Chi, where you feel “floating in water like seaweed.” This can be more challenging during “closed chain” exercises, where your palms brace against the ground in upward and downward dog. Can you “thicken the bubble” to maintain as much “fluidity” as possible? Perhaps not gaseous as during meditation, but more “plastic”? Can you remain calm and relaxed while performing the minimum required to move your body through different poses, “floating” as much as possible, powered by intentional breathing?

Articulating these concepts is challenging because words demand shared understanding. If you haven’t experienced these sensations, such descriptions may seem nonsensical.

Now… do you remember the Five Minute Miracle? The two Sun Salutations can plausibly be seen as two of those “sixty-second breathing breaks.” The other three could simply involve breathing while immersing yourself in gratitude, reflecting on your role models—those who have achieved what you aspire to—and considering the three main objectives you wish to accomplish today. Just touching on these matters is sufficient.

Stay on the “Bubble.” Remain relaxed, consciously EXHALING while adjusting your structure and alignment to allow your diaphragm to relax, creating a partial vacuum that facilitates exhalation.

This is your daily task. While remaining relaxed, connect with your life force—the aspect that breathes for you in sleep. Doubt only arises from your ego.

Cultivate joy for the blessings already in your life. Reflect on the path, the pattern, the map, the models. Consider the direction that aligns with your deepest values, brings joy, and offers contributions. Just for sixty seconds.

Engage in your work. Plant seeds, weed, water, fertilize. Set up protective measures. Chase away threats. Examine for pests and bugs, all while cherishing the process and observing nature.

Strive to be honest, kind, and useful.

Life will present distractions and disappointments. This is the reality: just ask any farmer. There will be individuals who attempt to hinder you: predators, oppressors, and even wounded friends and lovers who may want you to slow down or reverse your path. Your success threatens their ego justifications.

Keep moving forward; deep down, they desire your success. They yearn to believe that a way out of pain exists, and if you can remain strong and love them despite their struggles, they will appreciate you all the more. Consider Boyd Crowder at the conclusion of Justified: in prison, at peace with his circumstances, and proud of Raylan Givens for escaping the trap. He lied, stole, and murdered, yet remained proud of his brother who dug coal.

Continue your journey. One day, one moment at a time. Breathe.

And each day, morning and night, perform one Sun Salutation. If you’re a writer, add a single sentence daily. Each session becomes a mini-ritual where you unite body, mind, and emotions.

Walk the thousand-mile journey, one step at a time.

This is one path. There are many others, of course. I hope you discover one that resonates with your heart.

But I assure you, this is one of those paths.

Namaste

Steve

www.lifewritingpodcast.com