Breath - an essential life force. It happens so naturally, even while sleeping. Breathing in... Breathing out... in a continuous rhythm. Rolling like the tides. Chest rising and falling. Expanding to bring air and oxygen into the body. Contracting to expel it, making room for the next inhale.
The flow of life generally follows a similar pattern. Dynamic - with new goals and dreams always on the horizon. The thrill of expansion as we strive for them. Growth and learning along the journey. Then comes the necessary contractions. The times of rest, and of letting go in one area, to allow room for another to develop and thrive. Often this happens on purpose, in response to conscious choices we make about the plan of our lives. Sometimes outside forces impose unexpected redirections. The trouble comes when we try to fight it. Perhaps we are happy with the way things are and want them to remain the same, so we resent adjustments that present themselves against our will. Or maybe fear is causing us to plant our feet, unable to dance with the music of new ideas. Sometimes others try to intercept our course and knock us off of the desired path. Change itself, however, is rarely the problem. Resistance to change is where the pain usually lies.
But what happens if we try to stop breathing? We can hold our breath for a short time, but ultimately our bodies force us to gasp for air, or we will die. We rarely think about the process of breathing until sickness makes it labored. Then it quickly becomes all we care about, as we are reminded how desperately we need it.
We all know that to face a new challenge (positive or negative) we must be brave and harness strength. Remember too, though, that sometimes it takes courage to accept the contractions also. They are equally important. We cannot continue to breathe in, if we refuse to ever exhale.
The rise and fall of the lungs. The continuous flow of living. Embrace it. Allow that rhythm to sustain your body, soul and vitality without impeding it. Breathe into it. Just breathe.
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