Breathe Through the Wave

If you want to be great at anything… it takes practice! There is the well known “10,000 hour rule “that says in order to become an expert you must practice that thing for 10,000 hours! Earlier this week I was thinking about my writing and realized that if I want to be a writer I have to publish more than one article and blog per month! My new goal is to write five blogs per week and have several articles published per month! This is the only way that I can not only become a better writer but truly explore that creativity! IT is easy to write when you have something to say, it is much more difficult to work through writer’s block and create  something powerful!

One of my favorite sayings, that came out of the Transcendentalist movement, is “Live the life you have imagined”(HDT).  I often wear this quote on a pendent around my neck to remind myself of the importance of this quote. In its spirit and honor I am doing just that! Yesterday, I woke up early and biked, then started my cundelini meditation practice which I have not done in about nine months, followed by an amazing yoga session / private instruction on the beach! The ocean was beautiful with dolphins playing in the surf and fairly large waves crashing into the beach. We discussed breathing technique and related it to the waves. I felt connected with the earth, safe in her warmth, and felt my soul open to the possibilities of the day. Later I went into the office to take care of patients, which is my favorite thing to do! Following a wonderful afternoon at the practice, I went to Santa Barbara Dance Tribe for the first time. It was a special event that was led by an international speaker on dance movement, breathing, and life! She discussed the five rhythms of dance and how it is like a wave and how we must breathe through the entire wave and let our body keep moving. It was amazing having my day bookended by this concept of not only waves but the importance of breath.

Often we are in such a sympathetic state, fight or flight, that our breathing is fast and shallow. I regularly  see this with my patients, when I tell them to take a deep breath and it is like nothing is happening! Likewise, with my patients who practice yoga, they take the most beautiful deep breaths that are controlled and prolonged. There is a clear difference and I believe teaching breath work can have profound differences on one’s health and wellness. A shorter breath in is controlled by the sympathetic, but the exhale being longer is controlled by the parasympathetic’s bringing us to a state of rest and digest. Yes breath is automatic but the lesson of yesterday , that I will continue to work on, is to learn how to control this breathing and bring it back into balance. Look to mother nature for important cues on balance and vitality and you will live a healthier life.