“Take a deep breath and hold it.  Now let it out.”

The nurse then inserted the needle.  “That wasn’t so bad now was it?”

“No, the breathing trick really works.  Thank you,”  replied the patient.

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When you find yourself in a difficult or stressful situation, take the time to consciously breathe.  Take a deep breath, and slowly let it out.  Attempt to empty all of the stale air in your lungs, so that the next breath can be even deeper.

Then, take a look around and make a calm, peaceful decision as to what you will say if having a discussion, or what you will do, if you are working a stressful problem.  Take one breath at a time, and work the issue with clarity, peace and calm.

When we remember to breathe we are telling our body to take in the necessary oxygen so that we can remain in a place of peace and calm.  When we take short, gulping breaths, we often place our body in a position of panic and angst.  When we panic, we make “knee jerk” decisions, and we react, rather than plan our next move.

Learning to breathe can begin in meditation and yoga.  We begin to pay attention to our breathing so that we understand it is the “metronome” of our body.  It keeps the beat and rhythm of our body as we traverse through the “jungle of the day.”  The rhythm of our breathing keeps the beat of our actions and our behaviors.  We work within that rhythm and react accordingly.

Pay attention to your breathing at this moment.  Is it short and shallow, or long and deep?  Are you replenishing all of the air in your lungs with fresh oxygen on each breath in, or are you keeping much of the stale air within you?  Spend a few extra seconds releasing the air that is currently in your lungs, and notice how deep the next breath “in” can be.

When we breathe continuous fresh air into our body, it can help energize ourselves, as well as give us an opportunity to return to peace and calm.  It is in the state of “peace and calm” when we have the most clarity.  That clarity is useful in planning our strategy for any situation that we might face.

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Stay calm, and breathe deeply whenever you are faced with a stressful situation.  Remember your breath keeps the rhythm of your body, which contributes to the rhythm of your reactions.  Stay in a place of clarity where you can do the most good.

Written Tue, Jun 17, 2014 8:00 – 8:09 AM MT