One Breath At A Time

by: John Taylor

Oh my goodness! As if there weren’t enough stressors in our lives here we are - November 2020.

Let’s begin it together with a practice.

Spend the next five minutes going through several rounds of slow, deep, intentional
breaths… not forcing… nice and easy, breathing in through your nose, and exhaling as if your blowing through straw… breathing in, all the way up to your collarbones… now exhaling, seeing if you can extend your exhale a bit longer than your inhale.

What do you notice?

Often, folks notice a relaxing shift, a sense of relief, that where they may have felt tension, it has lessened or even dissipated. One lesson I’ve learned is how even the briefest of mindfulness practices can provide needed self-care in those moments when we’re feeling activated by the various stressors that we all find ourselves facing. Taking as little as five to ten minutes, to deepen the breath as we just practiced, to stretch, to briefly scan our bodies with the simple intention to soften, let go, and release… all of these mindful practices can make a surprisingly huge difference in reducing our stress.

Once I’ve remembered to utilize one or more of these stress reduction tools, I am reminded of how stressors, that just moments before that activated the fight, flight, or freeze mode and seemed insurmountable -- can quickly begin to dissipate and therefore, demonstrate and remind me of how impermanent they can be.

Then, I find that I am able to be more present, creative, available, helpful, and even joyful and loving with family, colleagues, students, friends, and others within our community. Let me also be very clear, we have been and continue to face multiple, unique and ongoing challenges that are directly and indirectly impacting our lives in a nearly unprecedented manor, and in a way that is particularly effecting Black, Indigenous, People of Color and other marginalized peoples within our society. And, yes… we are also in the midst of a contentious election season with Election Day just a
couple of days away…

So let’s pause again…take a moment and check within. If you’re noticing symptoms of stress within your body, you are not alone! I invite you take a self-care moment for a brief mindfulness practice of your choice. Today, and in the days ahead, let us lean into our mindfulness practices and intentionally prioritize our self-care, remembering that doing so is no selfish act; that by doing so, we are accessing inner resources that allow us to have a greater capacity to be more fully present not only at home but also within our communities where being more fully present is sorely needed.

We will get through this November - this 2020 - together. One breath at a time.