Respiration, Breath and Four
Updated: Aug 24, 2020

Respiration, Breath and Four
No distractions.
Slow breath.
Clear path.
One way forward.
There are teachings from virtually every wisdom tradition in
the world that emphasize the importance of Breath.
With Breath, all things are possible.
Let’s apply that to four aspects of our human-ness and look at it
from breathing and a 4 Agreements* perspective.
Physical ~ Take nothing personally
Emotional ~ Make no assumptions
Mental ~ Be impeccable with your word
Spiritual ~ Always do your best
Our miraculous Physical bodies work in synchrony to keep the
symphony of our bodies rhythmic, healthy and thriving. Each of
us has trillions of cells working diligently in unison every second
of every day, programmed by Nature herself to move and flow in
perfect balance according to a primal plan, orchestrated by the
respiratory system. The lungs are 85% responsible for pH
balance in the body; the kidneys are first responders to messages
received and make up the other 15%. Homeostasis, or pH
balance is the ability to maintain a physiology stable equilibrium
in the body. Stability - what we all crave in this current
disjointed world, distracting us a mile a minute as we navigate
our lives. Safety. What feels more safe than a full (abdominal)
slow, comfortable, nasal (in and out) Breath? Nothing!
Breath Is All There Is
Start paying attention to your breath, become familiar with this
precious physical body your spirit has been given. Intimacy leads
to understanding which is needed for change.
Notice three norms:
Do I feel my belly expand outward as I inhale?
Am I able to comfortably breathe in and out through my nose
for long periods of time?
Does my breath rest a bit after I exhale?
If you answered No to any of these questions, then respiratory
guidance would be a great thing to take in if you indeed want to
thrive in your physical well-being, or overcome any physical
challenges. Life happens, trauma touches us all, it’s not always
about you, don’t take it personally.
Begin with the Box Breath exercise:
Inhale ~ count 4
Hold ~ count 4
Exhale ~ count 4
Hold ~ count 4
For four (or multiples of: 8,12, 16, 20) full cycles in and out
through the nose, and then rest.
Emotional ~ Make no assumptions
Our Emotional realm, located approximately in the area of
our navel, aka Hara or lower Dantien, is also the area in the
body where life force originates, where male sperm and
female ovaries are located. Grounding, or centering focuses
on this area of the body, where we may find the silent, still
inner voice which is our emotional guidance system. If we
listen to it we will find every answer to every question that
we may ever have. Cultivate the pause after your exhale, quiet
your breath, and wait. You Will get a response, be patient.
Get your assumptions out of the way regarding conversations
of what you think he or she may have intended; or news
reports of situations that imply certain origins; or some
visual oddity where you immediately jump to a conclusion.
Stop thinking you know it all and make no assumptions.
Mental ~ Be impeccable with your word
Thoughts are the beginning of manifestation, to create the
reality that you desire to inhabit. The Mental realm gives us
insight, knowledge and understanding; the way we use
words impacts all that we do in a powerful, measurable way.
How we speak about ourselves or others, be it personal or
situational, reflects our belief systems. There is a subtle yet
powerful difference between, “I am an asthmatic” and “I have
asthma (a condition other than myself) that I must contend
with”. Stop owning your faults (I am horrible at…) or
emphasizing other’s (You are the worst…). Be kinder and
reflect on your words before splurting. Instead, speak of what
you are good at, or need more practice in. Use the pause
after the exhale that you are cultivating to become less
reactive (sympathetic dominance, fight/flight/freeze) and
more responsive (parasympathetic dominance, rest/restore/
relax). Contemplate before responding and remain
impeccable with your word.
Spiritual ~ Always do your best
Aaahhh, Breath as Spirit. Spiritus, the Latin word for breath.
It has been thought of as our soul, our source of courage and
vigor amongst millions of interpretations of the word all over
the world. When we become habituated to breath awareness,
listening, being patient, as the answers within are not always
immediately available, while building trust within ourselves,
we gain awareness of what is right and feels so in our core,
grounded, emotional place. When we use truth, kindness,
consideration, compassion in all of our own decision making,
then we are doing our best. Given any amount of
information we might have (very possibly considered false by
others) then that is the best we can do. Live in that place as
you take daily action in your one precious life, and make it a
great one.
* Borrowed from the 4 Toltec Agreements as point of reference as
they have been and continue to be some of the strongest and most
effective guiding principles of my life.
Dorisse 7.31.20