Listen to Your Breath

Listen to your breath. I have given that cue countless times over the years. It's a beautiful statement to help us not push ourselves too much that we are panting for breath. It's a wonderful cue to help us focus and re-focus the mind when it starts to drift. The cue reminds us to maintain a certain level of integrity within our practice.

I often find myself listening to my breath when I go for runs. And I'd love to say I do it to create s meditative connection to the natural cadence of breath. Yes, that too. But it's mostly because my headphones aren't working and I cant be bothered to buy another set. So yes, I listen to my breath as the soundtrack to my running, and it surely is the best pace setter I know of.

Recently, I've been really letting that cue sink in within my own practice. I've become somewhat fixated on literally, listening to my breath. Perhaps, the obsession, if you will, came a few months back when I was having odd breathing issues. Getting out of breath and winded easily. Having a hard time breathing when laying down. Feeling like I couldn't take a full breath in and feeling like I couldn't exhale it all out. Listening to my breath used to be a beautiful thing, and then it wasn't.

After visiting the doctors, x-rays, pulmonary function tests, visiting specialists, we've ruled out COVID. The health of my lungs is good and they're functioning properly. I continue to improve and I am set to go in for further testing. Listening to my breath as I move through life.