Just Breath

We practiced this life skill in our mother's womb.  We became experts in our first moment of life.  It is our body's natural response to survive. We breath.  However when I went to lamaze class during my pregnancy with Gabriel I learned that we don't always breath the right way.  Wait a minute, please don't turn away because I know how hard it is to hear.  Let me explain.  When you stub your toe or step on a lego these are both immediate and extremely painful acts but pay attention to how you breath.  If you are a parent you probably took a moment to remember how painful it was last night when you stepped on your kids toys.  Did you hold your breath?  This is what I mean about not breathing the right way!  When you are in pain, your body is suffering through a stressful moment and it needs oxygen to recouperate and heal.  By holding your breath you are increasing the pain and not letting your body do it's natural job of healing you.  During lamaze I learned how to take deep, cleansing breaths to completely fill my lungs and slowly exhale imagining all the negative air is leaving my body.  These slow and deep breaths help relax your body.  When you are relaxed you are more able to cope with the stress and pain of the moment. 
This is a common practice in Yoga and Meditation.  I relearned my relaxation breathing when I went through the rehab program.  In rehab I learned to add in a visualization.  You pick something that creates a sense of calm; a place in your home, a favorite vacation spot, or a moment in time that you were completely relaxed.  It helps to close your eyes until you become an expert at this.  My sense of calm comes from the ocean at sunrise.  When I close my eyes I picture the ocean with the sun slowly coming up with his soft colors.  I imagine the waves and the sand.  Then I try to hear it and smell it.  I submerge myself into this scene.  I take deep and cleansing breathes.  I pace my breathing to the waves.  The slow swell is my deep breath in and then the foaming white crashing of the wave is my expelling breath.  I focus on this image and it helps me let go of the pain that is overwhelming me.  For at least a few minutes I can let go of the RSD pain.  When I come out of this meditation I am more capable of coping with my pain. 

When Gabriel was little I taught him to take deep breathes when he was having a temper tantrum. Most kids have a hard time calming down after working themselves up and then they can get into more trouble because their emotions are running high.  With Gabriel I would see this storm building up inside of him and would tell him to take 3 deep and long breaths.  When he did this the right way he would calm down.  His body was able to get the oxygen it needed and he was able to compose himself enough to tell me what was bothering him.  We have solved many conflicts with this breathing.  Now Gabriel knows how to self regulate and temper himself, however their are moments when his emotions catch the better of him and he needs the simple reminder to breath. 
The next time you step on a toy or begin to loose your temper first pay attention to how you are breathing.  If you see that in the moment you held your breath then please "Just Breath"!