Finding the Courage to Expand

The Important Reasons We DON'T Breathe

Breath is precious.

Yogis say that life is counted—not in the number of years we live—but in the number of breaths we take… that breathing long, slow, full breaths actually extends our lives.

Spiritual traditions around the world emphasize the importance of breath. Yet in the West, we often find ourselves living shallow lives where breath cannot reach our innermost worlds.

There are a thousand teachers who teach us different ways to breathe… but I want to talk about all the juicy reasons why we DON’T breathe.

As a lifelong asthmatic, breath has always been precious to me. At the same time, I struggle with traditional breathing exercises. I enjoy them occasionally, but in my everyday life, they never seem to stick.

I look at people with regular breathing and meditation practices with some envy. My life runs on a more wild and sylvan rhythm—I hardly ever manage to be regular about anything. 

At different times in my life, I’ve incorporated different breathing practices, but there’s just something about it I find challenging.

And I’m willing to bet I’m not alone.

LET’S LOOK AT SOME OF THE IMPORTANT REASONS WE DON’T BREATHE:

🩵  Breathing is the first human act we must master to inhabit these bodies. 

Breathing is fundamental, and when we don’t breathe deeply, we occupy our bodies less completely. It’s easier to live in the mind, ignoring the signs, signals, pain, and problems of the body when we take in shallow, stilted breaths. 

🩵 Breathing is the gateway to feeling. 

A rich emotional world lives in our gut, along with inner knowings and intuitions that can lead us through the world. When our diaphragm is tense and doesn’t expand into the belly, we can more easily ignore the signs and signals of the body telling us something is wrong. If you don’t feel your feelings, it’s almost like they’re not there, right?

🩵 Breathing connects us to Everything.

The interplay of air flowing from the outside world, into our bodies and back out again is an intimate dance. In an instant, our breath connects us with the creatures, beings, objects, and molecules all around us. Let’s face it—that can be pretty overwhelming when we’re present to it!

🩵 Breath gives power to voice.

When our ribs are unstuck, our diaphragm relaxed, and our breaths full and deep, our voices begin to resonate with authenticity and power. As you can guess… it’s pretty hard to hide out and stay invisible when you sound resonant, authentic, and powerful.

Breathing deeply and fully—all day, every day—is a game changer. It fundamentally expands our presence… physically and energetically.