Take a Deep Breath
In February 2020, I traveled to the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, and attended their Happiness Retreat.
I had just made it through the first set of holidays without my mom and wanted to get away. I needed something different from a girls' trip or an adventure vacay. To me, this meant a little winter escape to somewhere not too far away. This place had yoga, mountains, meditation, mindfulness, healthy eating, and also promised R&R. It sounded perfect for a long weekend.
There was crisp, cold mountain air, beautiful views, and morning yoga. There were also hiking trails with just a little dusting of snow. The food was all vegetarian, which I loved. Once the class experience began, it included lots of breathing exercises, which at first, disappointed me. I just wasn’t expecting it. I thought there would be more yoga and guided meditation. Yes, meditation was part of this too but there was an awful lot of focus on breathing. It seemed a little too much for me. I didn't see a whole lot of room for this practice in my life.
I took notes and fully participated in all breathing exercises and meditations, but I left feeling like I would not practice this, especially to the extent that was taught and recommended. I admit it - I was a little closed-minded to this new practice being introduced to me as a component of wellness. We were doing hour-long breathing exercises and meditations, which were at times, difficult and also a little scary. When they ended, I did feel great. I absorbed what I could and left. I don't know where my notes are now.
COVID hit a couple of weeks later and as it did, my anxiety rose. There were times when my breathing felt so shallow and most of the time, I wasn't even sure why exactly. It might have been due to news overload, which was a constant reminder of all the uncertainty about the whole situation. I found myself thinking about the breathing exercises and really kicking myself for not putting some of this into practice. I began doing guided meditations using an app, but I really feel the breathing exercises I learned at the Art of Living would have benefited me too.
I remembered some of it and practiced what I could. It really does help to take those deep breaths - counting and holding - and exhaling even longer. I still don't think I'll ever do an hour on my own (I'm actually sure of it), but I can do mini sessions that are effective.
I started thinking about doing another program there (virtually for now) and as I began to research it, I received an email from Art of Living, saying they were starting refresher sessions for the retreat I took, due to the pandemic and the stress and chaos it created. Obviously, I wasn't the only one feeling that I needed this breath work! These refresher sessions are meant to inspire our practice and get us back on track to use these tools. Awesome timing! I'm in!
Has anyone ever told you when you are upset or anxious to take a deep breath? You probably didn't think much about it, right? Did you try it? It really does help. What seemed so unnecessary to me back in February ended up being essential in just a few short weeks. What seemed like a waste of time and a disappointment ended up being instruction that I now see is so valuable. I’m lucky to have had the experience.
If you ever feel your breathing getting shallow, try taking a few deep breaths and see how you feel. And if you want to take it to the next level, try some breathing exercises through apps or learn from trained coaching professionals. Let me know how it works for you.