What breath might you radiate into the field of oneness?
In yoga, we learn that we can soften tight or sore muscles with the breath. We inhale and exhale, holding our attention on the tightness, the ache as we breathe into it. As we breathe, the tightness softens, the pain eases and often, dissolves.
We can use the same process to bring breath and attention to ‘stuck and tight’ places in our emotions, in our thinking, in our worry about a loved one, or a concern about the world. By turning our attention toward these ‘tight and sore’ places and breathing into them (instead of trying to stifle or hide from them) we bring awareness and presence to what’s troubling us. And through this, we practice lovingkindness toward ourself.
As the tight and sore places within us soften, we soften toward them. We are more able to deal with things. All because we filled them with radiant breath.
Radiant breath is my name for breath illuminated by awareness.
We can use radiant breath in other ways. We can turn it toward crisis points that we hear about on the news or tight and sore places in our own family. Like prayer, radiant breath lets us flow our attention consciously, and place our breath (power) there deliberately.
I invite you to try it.
Begin by asking: where am I already sending my attention (and my breath)? Am I breathing into worry, fear, blame? How might I soften these tight and sore places in myself?
As you breathe, your radiant breath becomes a pulsation of love turned inward, toward your own body, your own heart, your own busy mind. As you breathe and soften toward yourself, your radiance blooms outward toward others and toward the world.
Discussion/Consider: Where might you direct your breath today, tomorrow, this week, this year?
Thank you! This is beautiful. Never thought about breath in this way.