We are mammals. Hopefully that doesn't stir up controversy of any kind. More specifically, we are human mammals. And even more down to it...we are Homosapiens.
This morning I started pondering what it is we "need" in order to Survive, Thrive and Create. I came up with four absolutes and going to give you my opinion of these four in order of importance. When I say importance, I mean that you can't live without these four and they come in an order.
First...air. The time varies from person to person but, if your air is cut off, you have minutes. We all know this. Breathing is a natural, involuntary action that keeps us trucking along but how often do you stop and take note of your breathing? How are you breathing? Through your nose or your mouth? Into your chest or abdomen? Long or short? And so on. Most likely, you rarely pay attention to any of these factors until your natural breathing becomes labored for one reason or another. When this happens, how do you handle it?
I've been meditating in some form or another for over 25 years. To be clear, I started...meaning, I read about it and sat down to try. Throughout those years, I would periodically sit down and give it a try but I've never had what would be considered a regular practice. When I started martial arts 15 years ago, meditation was part of it but not really taught. It was only in the last few years that my current teacher really started opening my eyes to what meditation really is and what it can be, but my main takeaway has been breathing. So do you need to meditate in order to work on your breathing techniques. Of course not. I believe that for thousands of years, different cultures have figured out different ways to optimize their breathing and it doesn't have to be complicated. If this concept is remedial to you, you're free to go, but if you're one of the many people that never think about your breath until you're in a bad situation, give this a try...
Sit down.
Close your eyes.
Inhale deeply (through your nose) and slowly into your abdomen (push that belly out).
Hold for a couple of seconds.
Exhale slowly (through your nose).
Repeat as often as you'd like.
Open your eyes.
Congratulations. You just acknowledged your breath and what it means to be human. We can't live without it and, I believe, it's impossible to thrive without paying attention to it. Try to do this once a day and feel free to let me know if you notice a change in your daily routine.
Be a good human.
Survive, Thrive, Create. Grab your Sapien Stone to remind you to breathe.
Number two coming soon.
