The Natural Flow
Written by: Carol Lampman
There is a natural flow in the Universe that moves through everything and everyone. It has always been there and always will be. It is constantly flowing like the water in a stream moving from one place to another. When the stream encounters an obstacle, it either carries it along with its current or simply moves around it. While this stream is part of all life, its course is unique for each of us. When we truly surrender to our authentic path in life, we are carried by this stream and move easily around any obstacles without effort or exertion.
When you were young, there came a time when you had difficulties that interrupted this natural current and you began to resist what was happening around you. To compensate for this, you made a decision to control your environment as best you could in order to feel safe, wanted, or loved. Out of the fear of loss, you began to hold… hold on, hold out, hold in or hold back. These struggles interrupted your natural rhythm and your relationship to the energy flowing through you. Without conscious awareness, you stepped out of the flow and lost connection to this most important and powerful resource.
The freedom and ability to let go and live in the flow of life is reflected in the patterns of your breathing. The process of respiration does much more than fuel your body with oxygen. It literally moves the life force energy through your physical body. When your body is relaxed, the breath is free and easy. When you are stressed, the muscles of respiration inhibit the breathing process. As a result, the breath is held, forced or incomplete. This dysfunctional pattern eventually submerged and became locked into your body as a part of your anatomy.
Now, here is the good news. By altering your breath through a simple daily practice, you have the ability to unravel the patterns, eliminate the causes and bring more life giving oxygen to your physical body. It is possible to reclaim what is inherently yours and return to living, once again, in the natural flow and rhythm of life. Using the metaphor of water flowing, we will explore the process of your personal breathing style.
Breath Exercise
The following exercise is divided into two parts.
Part One…. Close your eyes and tune into your breath. Without effort, but with awareness, simply ask yourself these questions about how your breathing does or does not flow.
Is it flowing and smooth?
Is it fast and racing?
Is it slow and free?
Is it wavy, yet not free?
Is it changing, moment to moment?
Is it restless or stuck?
Is it choppy, like a stormy sea?
Part Two…. Again, Close your eyes and tune into your breathing. This time bring to mind a difficult or disturbing experience that you have had in your life. Allow the memory to play itself out in your mind. Remember who was there and what was happening. What emotions might be present in this experience? Now, with awareness, explore your breath again. Notice how it has changed. Just keep watching for a moment or two while you gather any information that is available.
You might be surprised at how quickly your body and your breath were influenced by the negative memory. Your breath is showing you how your experiences, your thoughts and your emotions influence your breathing mechanism. It is a reflection of how the flow of energy in your body has changed based on your state of mind. Your breath might be held, constricted or racing as your body reacts to the stress that is being generated by the memory. It is likely that this feeling is familiar and it is not the first time you have had this kind of experience.
You have the power to change the automatic reaction to stress. In fact, you can actually manage and counteract your stress levels on your own. How? By working with your breath and allowing it to flow.
This article was written by Carol Lampman, my integral breath teacher, as part of her Aug. 13, 2023 newsletter and reprinted with her permission.