Breathe.

Such a simple process. And necessary.

Yet, so easy to forget. That we breathe. That breath is necessary.

Sometimes, my breathing is the last thing about which I think. Sometimes, I immerse myself so completely in my thoughts, I forget breathing even exists. Lost in thought about things going wrong. The anxiety of the moment. The confusion of my thoughts. The sadness, the fear, the what next. The criticism. The ‘What do they think of me? What will I say? What are they thinking?’ kind of whiplash thinking to someone else’s presence,  my thoughts block me from remembering the simplest way to step away from the anxiety, the confusion, the sadness, fear, worry is to simply breathe.

Breathe deeply.

Feel this moment. Feel the air entering your body. Feel your lungs fill up, your chest push out, your belly expand. Feel the air moving deeply within you. Feel it filling you up. Filling you out. Filling you in with its life giving force of nature.

Breathe. In. Deeply.

Now. Exhale. Slowly.

Feel the air move through your body. Feel the quiet, patient, loving presence of its movement as your belly moves in, your lungs compress. Feel the tightness in your shoulders ease. Your heart soften. The straining of your neck relax. Fee. Your body’s gratitude for this breath, right now. Feel each breath.

In. Out.

Relax.

Breathe.

What is there to do in this moment, right now?

Breathe.

Will you give into the anxiety, the fear, the sadness, the confusion, the grasping, clawing desire of your mind to worry, worry, worry as your breath grows shallower and your heart speeds up?

Or, will you keep breathing. Deeply. Deeply breathing into this moment, right now, aware, conscious, knowing, whatever is out there in the world, is nothing compared to the power within you to be present, right now with each breath.

Breathe and know that what is going on, inside, within you is the space for breath to nurture and nourish your being present in this moment, right now, breathing deeply.

And all is as it is. All is what it is. And you are, each breath, moving in and out, in and out, slowly.