Change is constant. Transition can be hard. Stressful situations will always arise. It's a common coping method to try to make things the way we want them rather than flow with the changes life brings; to try to control the events of our lives.

But no matter how much planning or arranging or clinging we do to make ourselves feel secure, there will always be circumstances beyond our control.

This is because the natural order of things is not sameness, but change. We can easily see this in the life cycle of plants and seasons, as buds turn into leaves that then evolve from summer green to autumn gold before they fade and fall to the winter earth. Seasonal changes are something we rely on, even look forward to. Yet we spend a lot of energy trying to resist change in our own life.

But the truth is, nothing ever stays the same.

We can learn to stay grounded, and allow ourselves to move along with change rather than resist it. Paying attention to our breath brings us here, into the present, where we are able to notice what’s happening within us and around us on a moment-to-moment basis. It’s the fastest, most efficient way to draw ourselves out of the cycle of anxiety and into a state where we feel centered and calm. It is an entry point for us to step into the flow of change rather than push against it.

This simple breathing practice can be done seated or standing... and in just a few minutes you can feel more grounded and open... able to respond more artfully and wisely to what ever the present brings.