The Power of Breath

Have you ever noticed how powerful the force of water in nature is? Your breath is similar. Now visualize a large body of water. Sometimes that water is choppy with whitecaps. Sometimes that very same water is flat and still. The water moves with the wind. When we are stressed or angry, our breath tends to be rapid and shallow and the body, as a result, becomes taxed. When we are calm, our breath is naturally slow, steady and deep. But you have the power to instantly use your breath to turn your stress or anxiety into calm.  The key is awareness! Try the following meditation. 

Now, close your eyes for a moment. With your eyes closed, breathe in deeply through your nose and out deeply through your nose. Put your awareness into your breath as you allow the other busy thoughts in the mind to fade away. Acknowledge any thoughts that pop up, but save them for later, they can wait. Simply listen to the sound of the waves in each breath going into shore, and back out to sea. Breathe in, breathe out.  Feel your breath slow and listen as it quiets. 

 Now, with your eyes still closed, visualize that body of water. As your breath calms and quiets, that body of water will begin to still. The body of water represents your soul conciousness. Once the chaos of the external world subsides, your natural state arises like the surface of beautifully calm and crystal clear water. Small ripples represent the effects of others upon us and us upon others. But underneath is where the depth occurs. Your true authentic self is deep below the surface. It is in this calm where the breath is slow and steady, and that the body and mind can truly become one and work to be their best. Your natural state is one of calm and joy. Your natural state is divine love. It is here in this silence that the answers you seek will come. There is in essence no need to worry. Just let go. Just be.  Just breathe. 

 Breathe in, breathe out, release and let go... 

Breathe in peace, breathe out chaos.

Breathe in acceptance, breathe out judgement.

Breathe in divine love, breathe out divine love.

 You are enough. You are all you need. In times of chaos, turn to your breath. Take just a moment, listen to those waves and let that calm you. It is proven to lower your heart rate. It works and it is in your power all the time! Have an incredible start to this week!  

Clarity

Happy Monday, 

Libby

Gardening for Stress Relief, Health, and The Best Nutrition

View fullsize

You do not need a lot of space to garden. First, simply decide if you prefer flowers, food, or a combination of both. You can even grow herbs in small pots on your deck or porch. Just being out in the sunlight and breathing the fresh air while gardening will make you feel alive and relaxed. The connection with nature calms and centers us. Gardening creates mindfulness as you care for the plants, watering them, trimming and weeding the bed.

View fullsize

Gardening also allows for creativity! Plant a variety and feel the gratification when the plants reach maturation. The sense of immediate accomplishment as you dig the hole and place each plant is amazing. And when your cucumbers are ready to cut and eat, or your flowers are ready to be placed in a vase, you feel so much satisfaction. 

The food you grow is the finest you can possibly eat because you know exactly how it was raised. Studies also show that kids who are involved in gardening are more likely to eat a variety of fruits and veggies and are more adventurous about trying new foods. I know this was the case with my kids. I rented a garden plot six years ago. They started eating eggplant, peppers and all sorts of things after helping me in our garden. We no longer rent a plot, but instead use the space we have in our yard to creatively grow a variety of herbs, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, squash and some flowers sprinkled in.

View fullsize

We live in a stressful world.  Step away from the chaos and connect with the earth.  Putting your hands in the dirt is not only stress relieving, but physically gratifying.  For example, a person weighing 140 pounds burns approximately 305 calories an hour while gardening. Burning calories, connecting with the earth, releasing stress, growing your own healthy food and raising beautiful flowers are wonderful benefits of gardening.

So get to the local garden center and pick up a few things to play with. As Audrey Hepburn once said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” 

Love & Light,

Libby