This week I restarted a simple but important practice. Breathing. Yes I'm already breathing, but that's not what I meant. I meant the deep seated breathing that goes along with meditation.

Post published on July 31, 2013 • Last Updated May 24, 2021.

It has been years since I first learned about the importance of breathing and quieting my mind. Every morning I use to get up and just sit and breathe for 30 minutes. Of course that was way before I had a child and had an extra 30 minutes.

These days sitting still for 30 minutes feels like a luxury. As any parent knows once a child see you sitting down, that's their cue to come and talk with you. Cause obviously, you need some company if you're just sitting alone. Right? Bless our kids. LOL

But the reality is we DO need a few minutes of quiet time. I confess I sure do. I start to get twitchy if there's to much "noise" going on around me and inside my head. Lately I've been feeling things are too loud and I can't hear myself think. If I can't think, then how can I take care of things?

So to help me hear what I'm thinking....isn't that an interesting statement....I had to go back to having quiet time. So every morning this week, I woke and just sat for 15 minutes. I didn't check email, I didn't turn on the TV, I didn't do all the usual morning things. I took the time to sit. And breathe. Deeply.

Now I confess the first 5 minutes are the hardest. As my mind stills and starts getting organized, I start thinking of all the things I could be doing. At that point I have to be determined and say to myself, that waiting another 10 minutes won't make a difference. But if a thought is really nagging me, then I write it down on a notepad next to me and go back to sitting and breathing.

By the third day I was getting better at sitting and breathing without feeling panicked. It's crazy to think that sitting still for 15 minutes can lead to me panicking about not getting something done. But that's the crazy part isn't it? That I can't even take 15 minutes for myself.

As I sat and breathed, I am amazed that I've allowed myself to get into this state of mind. But with each minute I sit there breathing, I'm slowly changing that state. I'm slowly returning to myself and hearing my thoughts in the noise of the world. It's amazing how just the simple act of sitting and breathing can do that.

When was the last time you sat and breathed?