It Begins with the Breath - Mindfulness breathing meditation
- Ben Ousey
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
To breathe is to be alive. Aside from our consciousness, within which we experience life, there is no more fundamental aspect of our existence than the breath.
Our lives outside the womb begin with a first enlivening inhalation and will end with one final exhalation and the ultimate instant of letting go. You can last days without food and water, but only minutes without breathing. The breath is the gentle rhythm that underpins our life, always there, flowing in and out, with no conscious effort required from us. The breath just happens and we float gently on the tide of its coming and going.
When you think about it, there is something miraculous about this process and yet, for most of the time, we are completely unaware of it happening. If you consider all the breaths you have taken in the course of your life, how many have you actually been conscious of?
The Breath as the Foundation of Mindfulness
When we consciously turn our attention to the flow of the breath it has a profound effect on our minds and bodies. Observing the breath is an integral part of mindfulness. Using the breath as the focus of meditation is a classic mindfulness technique and usually forms the bedrock of a regular mindfulness practice.
We choose the breath as our focus because it is always there whenever we need it, our constant companion. When we connect to the breath it also helps connect our mind to our body and will naturally engage our relaxation response.
The real magic of breath awareness lies in its capacity to bring us into the present moment. We don’t breathe in the past or in the future; the breath only exists in the present. When we bring our attention to the sensations of breathing we are naturally guided into presence.
The Breath Always Tells the Truth
The breath will always speak the truth to us and can show us how we are really feeling through its depth, rhythm and rate. We can use the breath for meditation, but also as an anchor for our busy minds in the hurly burly of our everyday lives.
There is great power in taking even a single mindful breath.
You can try it now:
Just pause for a moment and become aware of the breath as it flows through the nose or mouth. Feel it expanding the ribs and raising the belly before it releases and flows back out again.
That’s all you ever have to do to bring mindful awareness into your life:
Just breathe.
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