I told you months ago about the book that really got me into practicing meditation, now a few times a week. The concepts outlined in Thich Nhat Hanh’s You Are Here have made me more mindful of who I am, where I am and what I bring to the world.
There is one strategy in particular that I took from the book that I want to share with you today. It is simply a phrase that – along with taking long, deep breaths – helps me re-center myself whenever I feel “off” or out of balance for some reason during the day. I memorized it, not just for memorization’s sake, but because I found that it works for me.
Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know that I am breathing out.
It is what I chant to myself as I inhale and exhale, not just during sitting or walking mediation, but also when I’m waiting in a long line at the grocery store or stuck in traffic or just waking up in the morning to an inbox full of emails and to-dos.
In this way, I remember to pay attention to my breath, no matter what is happening around me. I force myself to stop and acknowledge the fact that I am here.
Breathing.
Alive.
Sometimes, I modify the phrase.
Breathing in, I am here and I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I am here and I know that I am breathing out.
Do you have a strategy or phrase that brings you back to center during the day? If you choose to try this one out for yourself, let me know how it works for you!
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Yes, I do. Whenever I return from an outing and have just entered my home, I take time to do 10 breaths, counting a full inhale and exhale as a breath. Once, finished, there is a big difference. Without the practice, I am antsy, looking for the next; the next fix, the next thing I “need” to do. I often crave food and believe I “need” to eat, when it is in fact just this antsy feeling that motivates me.
But, with the 10 breath practice, I am purposeful. crave and eat less. I just feel better and more inside of myself and content. I used to have a practice similar to this where I would just catch my breath throughout the day and remind myself to breath- often. I was in a better place with that practice and need to get back into it along with this new one.
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I absolutely LOVE this book! It was one of a few life-changers for me. Drinking beautiful teas and sitting in silence centers me when I am feeling off-balance.
I do two things: #1 I either verbally say a prayer or write one out. It may seem a bit cliche but there is something to be said about emotionally and spiritually calling one something larger than myself to help me.
#2 I say this quote “”Worrying is using your imagination to create something you don’t want.” – Esther Hicks. For me it is never the situation that is bad, it is the worrying and the distress that comes as a result of it.
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When I find myself being over whelmed, I stop and drink some water. It is reminding me that regardless of how hard I think it is, imagine how hard it would be to live without water. When I compare my problems to that hypothetical one, everything else seems minor to me.
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What a great practice, Kalley. Thank you for sharing it with us. I imagine it not only re-centers you, but brings you into a spirit of gratitude as well.