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If you feel constantlyoverwhelmed, you are not alone.
Trinette Reed/Adobe Stock
I am here with you.
But lets be real: Life has kinda always been this bananas.
The only difference is that the fantasy of normal is officially over.
Bobby Quillard
Gone are the days of ignoring the chaos that always surrounds us.
The chaos feels inescapable.
As far as Im concerned, at this point, breathing through the bullshit is our only option.
In these ways, I think of breath work as political action.
In fact, in chaos, the power of inhales and exhales is undeniable and nothing less than revolutionary.
Trauma is part of life.
Your next stressful moment is probably coming sooner rather than later.
We practice breath work to prepare for lifes most stressful moments, not the chill ones.
Maybe youre thinking, I already know how to breathe!
Whats the next step?
Start slow and dont obsess over the details.
Feel the breath passing in and out of your body, whether its through your lips or nose.
Dont venture to change anything; instead, venture to accept your breath as it is right now.
Accept its curvatures, tight spots, and ragged edges.
make a run at let the breath flow organically.
If you have trouble breathing through your nose, maybe youve got some snot gumming up the works.
Blow your nose and hit it one more time.
If breathing through your nose is still difficult or uncomfortable, just go back to breathing through your mouth.
The breath will follow the cadence of your spirit.
Its a rhythm thats unique to you.
Let it flow naturally.
If it helps, close your eyes.
But its not a requirement.
Eyes open or closed, breathing is a requirement of life.
Your mind isnt supposed to be clear.
If youre alive, your mind will be active.
If you start to think, Well, this is pretty fucking boringlet your mind follow that path.
Practicing breath work allows you to spend time quietly concentrating only on the air entering and leaving your body.
Its a powerful way to remember that keeping yourself going can be as simple as inhaling and exhaling.
Spending time with my breath has helped me find a home within myself.
Because I have that home, I know I can weather any storm.
